


Infinity

by Moczo



Category: Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha | Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
Genre: Action/Adventure, Don't judge me this fic is old, Gen, Humor, Magical Girls, Nanoha is a weird show, Sci-Fi, mecha i guess?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2019-09-22 13:51:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 179,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17060975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moczo/pseuds/Moczo
Summary: The Book of Darkness case is over, giving Nanoha and company some much-needed rest. But the peace ends abruptly as a pair of unknown mages descend on Earth, seeking a lost artifact and reigniting an ancient conflict. It's time to save the world again...





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> And part 3 of the great FF.net move-over. I'll put up a chapter every few days until it's all over here, and hope that a few new people enjoy it, considering I was a much younger, worse author when I started it. I don't think it's BAD, per se, but it was unwieldy, to say the least. But you know what, if even one person enjoyed a story, it wasn't a waste of time. And I think it had more than one fan. Maybe even three!

**_System Initialize_ **

_This unit has been offline for 5017 standard program cycles. No administrators currently logged in. System Rights are open, Beginning Standard Emergency Protocols._

_Attempting Recovery of Current Space/Time Coordinates._

_System Error. Current Space/Time Coordinates cannot be computed with presently available data. Current spatial coordinates shall be logged as Unknown until new data is acquired. Until Imperal Calendar date can be determined, restart time coordinates will be logged as Cycle 5018, Year 1, Day 1, Hour 00:00:00. Current time coordinates Cycle 5018, Year 1, Day 1, Hour 00:00:03._

_Attempting Environmental Analysis._

_Warning!_

_Environmental analysis indicates small-scale hyperspace distortions approximately 1.24 tiketas to the north/northwest of this installation. Cause unknown, duration unknown. High energy output detected, high spatial warp rate detected. Calculated Threat level 3: Potentially harmful to organic life. Issuing request for instructions to all administrative terminals._

_No instructions received. Program 000203010 load: "In the event administrative functions are non-responsive, engage basic search protocols upon encounter with any unidentified phenomena". Research drone dispatched._

**_Current Spatial Coordinates: Unknown. Current Time Coordinates: Cycle 5018, Year 1, Day 1, Hour 00:22:37_ **

_Site inspection completed. Unidentified spatial distortion no longer detected. Two samples recovered from site. Preliminary analysis confirms them to be of extradimensional origin. Attempting to cross-reference analysis with dimensional archive database to discern dimension of origin._

_System Error. Link with dimensional archive database lost. Attempting to restore link. System Error. Link restoration attempt failed. Potential causes: Physical Damage to database or associated link systems. Issuing order request to all administrative terminals._

_No orders received. Program 000203516 load: "In the event administrative functions are non-responsive, any and all unidentified artifacts/samples of interest are to be transported to the nearest functional credited Imperial Research Center for advanced study". Searching for available Research Centers…_

_Searching…_

_Searching…_

_None found. Program 01450198 load: "If no Imperial Research facility is able to take on new specimens at this time, all possible data is to be collected by available on-site equipment. Samples are then to be transported to nearest available storage facility and placed in stasis lock until more in-depth study can be conducted"._

_Commencing Analysis._

_Unknown Sample #01. Designation: Organic life form, humanoid. Dimension of origin: Unknown. Status: Deceased. Severe structural damage detected. Recommended course of action: Disposal._

_Unknown Sample #02. Designation: Organic life form, humanoid. Dimension of origin: Unknown. Status: System Error._

_Status: System Error._

_Scan incomplete._

_Recommended course of action: …_

…

…

…

**_Sample purity meets all required specifications._ **

**_Local Processor Offline. This operation is hereby transferred to Yggdrasil Central Control. Rebooting, stand by. Ready._ **

**_Current Dimensional Coordinates: N/A._ **

**_Current Temporal Coordinates: Imperial Calander Year 507,132. The seventh day of the month of Ashra, hour 03:45:24. This unit has been offline for approximately 501,700 standard years._ **

**_The Revelation Protocols are now in effect, The Yggdrasil Program has been successfully loaded to all administrative terminals. Project: Broken Throne has been approved. Main utilities mainframe active. Power and life support will be restored to the following facilities: Central Command, The Palace of Twilight, The Cradle of God. Initiate data link to central Lazarus circuits. Sample #02 is to be transported to the Cradle for immediate activation._ **

**_Current Dimensional Coordinates: Void_ **

**_Current Temporal Coordinates: Ashra 7, Hour 12:11:54, Imperial Calendar Year 507,132._ **

**_Upload Status: Attempt #0001 Unsuccessful. Data Corrupted, File lost._ **

**_Upload Status: Attempt #0002 Unsuccessful. Data Corrupted, File lost._ **

**_Upload Status: Attempt #0003 Unsuccessful. Pattern rejected, sample unsuitable._ **

**_Upload Status: Attempt #0004 Successful. Compatible Pattern Located. Data Corruption Minimal, File successfully recovered._ **

**_Upload Complete. Unit Activation Complete._ **

" **Good Afternoon, Master."**

And in a dim building, in an empty city, on a world wrapped in perpetual darkness, a woman that had been dead for far longer than she had ever been alive opened unfamiliar eyes… and smiled. "Good afternoon," she said. "Now, could you please tell me what happened while I was asleep?"

**One Year Later…**

Jacobus 'The Terrible' Tarra was not having a good day.

Ever since he'd been old enough to hold a staff, Tarra had wanted nothing more than to be a mage of the Time Space Administration Bureau. To the people of his homeworld, Astarte, the TSAB were the epitome of celebrity. Astarte was a small, unassuming world that was blessed with abnormally high concentration of fertile farmland, and not much in the way of anything else. It had been settled several centuries ago by Midchildan colonists, and today was the single largest producer of foodstuffs in bureau-controlled dimensional space. This resulted in a civilization composed almost entirely of farmers who, nonetheless, knew enough about the universe to tell their children stories about the brave bureau mages of who sailed between worlds in gigantic ships bristling with magical weaponry, fighting evil and sealing away world-destroying artifacts of terror.

This, naturally, resulted in a great many children who decided that sailing between worlds in gigantic ships bristling with magical weaponry, fighting evil and sealing away world-destroying artifacts of terror sounded a great deal more interesting than, y'know, farming. _Every_ child dreamed of the day they might be tested for magical potential, and, if they were lucky, be taken away from a life of livestock and crops to the academy, to one day become one of those shining golden heroes.

Tarra had been one of the children lucky enough to have sufficient magical power to warrant training, and one of the children lucky enough to be taken to that glowing golden palace in the stars known as the TSAB Ground Forces academy.

He was also one of the children unlucky enough to discover it kind of sucked there.

Despite what his mother might have said to the contrary, Jacobus Tarra was not a particularly likable young man, nor one blessed with a great deal of self-control. His childhood on Astarte had been notable primarily for the amount of bullying it included, mostly directed from him towards other, smaller people. Which was not to say that other things hadn't had an impact on his youthful development; fighting, womanizing, and the local home-brewed alcohol had all had significant impacts when he'd reached his teens.

To a young man raised on being answerable to basically nobody, the strict academy life had chafed. While he quite enjoyed the combat training (particularly sparring with other, more squish-able cadets), pretty much everything else about the academy grated on him. And as it grated on him, he began to act out… and quickly discovered that the proctors were considerably less forgiving of his stupidity than what had passed for authority figures on Astarte.

For instance, were you aware that the standard punishment for a drunk and disorderly charge for a TSAB cadet was one week in the brig? Or that the punishment for escaping from the brig before your sentence was up was expulsion from the academy? Or that the punishment for throwing a punch at the officer announcing your expulsion was that the officer in question would beat you within an inch of your life and unceremoniously dump you in the infirmary, to be escorted off-site by security as soon as you could walk under your own power? Because Jacobus Tarra was completely aware of all these facts; in fact, he now had first-hand knowledge of them.

But he was not a quitter, no sir. And although he was no longer welcome in the TSAB, there was still a world of infinite possibilities for an enterprising young man with some skill in combat magic, a healthy distaste for authority, and very few morals.

Well, okay, there weren't that many possibilities. But Tarra found a good one. The territory maintained by the TSAB was vast, and included many worlds filled with dead civilizations just waiting to be ransacked, and many more worlds too small and undeveloped to defend themselves. As a result, piracy was hardly uncommon, and criminals who'd managed to get their hands on a surplus cruiser were always looking for more muscle. And so it was that Jacobus Tarra threw away the last vestige of respectability he had and took the long-coming step of just becoming an outright criminal. He was even pretty good at it; it was, after all, basically what he'd been doing for free his entire life. In short order, he taken over the captaincy of his own refitted dimensional gunship, which he'd christened the _Freebooter,_ and a small crew. He even began calling himself Jacobus the Terrible, just because he could. He and his boys raided small worlds, undeveloped worlds, looted ruins, and made damn fine money for themselves in the process. Nobody told him what to do, he took whatever he wanted, and he was even starting to become known amongst the outlaw community. There was even talk of him getting a bounty on his head! Yes, life had been good.

_Had been_.

Then he'd made the mistake of ignoring that librarian.

The librarian had sent him a transmission as he'd fled the scene of his last big job. He and his crew had ransacked the ruins of a small city on a world orbiting a star so old it had virtually burned itself out, in a dimension all but devoid of life in general. The librarian had informed him that he'd tripped an alarm and sensor net set by an archaeological expedition that had been on the planet earlier, and that if he'd actually found something they missed it might very well be highly dangerous contraband, and that if he knew what was good for him he would set back down, put back anything he'd taken, and go off to take up a new career. Tarra had laughed in the young man's face, gleefully shown off the five glowing, marble-sized emerald spheres that they had looted and commented that such obviously magical devices would surely fetch a high price on the black market. The librarian had sighed, said something about making a call to his friends, and closed the link.

As Jacobus looked around the burning, shattered ruins of his headquarters (located, for irony's sake, on an uncharted desert world known mostly for having virtually no native plant life. No farms here, dammit!), and the crushed pile of twisted scrap that had once been his ship, parked on the landing pad outside, he began to consider that maybe those gems really hadn't been worth the trouble.

"I'm sorry about that." The little girl in the frilly white dress said. "I'm sure that your ship was very expensive, but you _are_ criminals. And it was really for your own good; I didn't really understand everything that Yuuno said, but I guess those jewels you stole from that ruin are pretty dangerous, and nobody knows more about the Lost Logia than him. He said that if you use them wrong you might make a dimensional rift, and that's never good. So you see, it really is for the best if you just give them back so we can make sure they're safely stored. Now, you should probably just stay here and wait quietly. A ship will be arriving in about twenty minutes to take you to prison and deliver the Lost Logia into storage. And if you tell your men to stop fighting, I'll even put in a good word for you at your trial!"

"You… alone… you…" Jacobus stammered.

"Hm? Oh, no, it's not just me! Fate and Arf are outside dealing with your border defenses. It probably would have been more, but well, this operation was so _tiny_ … oh, I'm sorry! I made you sound like you weren't threatening! But what I really meant was that Chrono is in charge of his own ship now, so we couldn't really ask him to come along without it, and the brass wouldn't let us bring it… they, um, said you weren't dangerous enough to justify the _Asura's_ involvement… not that you aren't dangerous! And Yuuno wanted to come, but he's so busy in the library, if he took that much time off he'd really fall behind. And I guess the Wolkenritter are still on probation until Hayate finishes basic training. I don't know, six months seems like a long time to me, but I'm not in charge. I suppose that her legs still aren't up to walking unaided, so it probably is best not to rush things."

"My… my… my…" Jacobus said, pointing out the huge hole in his wall to the slag that had once been his ship.

"OH! You meant that. I guess it was sort of silly to think you were asking where my friends were. Yeah, I thought I should make sure you didn't use that ship to escape before we got back the artifacts. So, since Fate was keeping your security busy, I decided to just come right here and… again, I'm sorry I had to smash your boat, but I had to make sure you didn't get away. And I was really careful to make sure none of your friends were hurt!" the girl said. And the worst part was that she honestly did sound a little sorry.

Jacobus Tarra was a large man, nearly seven-feet tall and built like a truck. He was a (partially) trained combat mage and his device, a wickedly curved sword forged in the Belkan tradition (or, to be more accurate, forged by a man who _claimed_ he'd learned to make devices in the Belkan tradition and _actually_ made cheap knockoffs), had cut down many people who'd thought themselves his better. But most importantly, he was a man who'd made a living out of picking on people smaller than himself. To be looked down on like this… pitied… by a _little girl…_

The large pirate let out a guttural yell, his blade bursting into red light as he charged.

The little girl in the frilly white dress sighed and raised one hand. "Raising Heart?"

**"Axel Shooter, full autofire."** Her staff said.

"Shoot." She commanded.

Three seconds later, as Tarra lost consciousness, he vaguely heard Nanoha Takamachi say, "I _did_ ask you nicely to come quietly."

And when he woke up, two hours later, packed into the hold of a transport ship in shackles with the rest of his crew and a splitting headache being shipped to the nearest prison (while the little girl in question was, unbeknownst to him, already back at school taking a math test) he couldn't help but think that maybe he would have been better off just apologizing to her.

In their defense, there was really nothing the crew of the TSAB gunship _Vishnu_ could have done differently. After arriving at Unsettled World 1274-0019, at the request of Chief Librarian Scrya, they had taken into custody 27 suspects and five contraband Lost Logia of unknown purpose. They had also winced when they saw what, exactly, the two little girls and the magic dog had _done_ to the suspects in question, although that was not, strictly speaking, a part of official mission parameters. Still, it was both kind of awesome and completely frightening, and they could be forgiven for reacting to it.

After taking the devices and suspects into custody for transfer to a secure facility, and asking the field operatives if they would require transport (to which they answered no, that they had teleported in directly from their homeworld and would have to leave the same way if they hoped to get back to school before lunch ended. But thank you very much for offering!), the _Vishnu_ had embarked on its return trip; not to Midchilda, but to the Lost Logia Secure Containment and Registration Facility. A fully self-sufficient artificial station intentionally stationed as far (dimensionally speaking, which meant the distance was really sort of metaphorical, but it still counted for something) as possible from any and all life-supporting worlds, the Facility was where all Lost Logia or other technology that had not yet been categorized were stored until Research and Development could get their hands on them.

Basically, it was where the stuff that might explode and rip open the universe if you poked it wrong was kept. Most TSAB workers called it 'The Powder Keg'.

As they were transporting dangerous contraband and enemy combatants, the _Vishnu_ was running in full combat mode; magical barriers charged, weapons hot. Dimensional space was always dangerous, of course, but the biggest dangers were to lone travelers or those without proper protection. The _Vishnu_ was neither.

So, the fact that billions of lives were about to be put in extreme danger was not really their fault.

It started with a hole. The maelstrom of blues, reds, and purples in the space between dimensions cracked slightly, a spot of pure blackness beginning to grow amongst the swirling colors. It did not get very big, really; no larger than a meter or two across and less than half that from top to bottom. But then it didn't really need to be very large. It was, after all, only there for a single spell to pass through.

The spell in question was a very subtle enchantment, designed only to create a link between two computer systems. It was among the most common enchantments found in any magical world, allowing, essentially, the creation of an internet that stretched between entire _dimensions_. In this case, it was only being used for the far simpler task of creating a link between the central computer of the _Vishnu_ and the significantly more advanced system in the building on the other side of the small gate.

Staring through the gate at the _Vishnu_ , the dead woman asked, "Do you have it, Yggdrasil? Holding these gates open is rather draining, so I'd appreciate if we could handle it quickly." A glowing white hexagram surrounded by runes spun around her feet as she focused the spells holding the gate open into dimensional space. She was a small woman, and the grey cloak she was wearing was obviously too large for her, but it was the mark of her office and she would wear it with _pride,_ dammit all. Resizing be damned, she refused to be made a fool of by her own blasted clothes.

" **Link established, Master."** Said the smooth, cultured, and utterly inhuman voice of Yggdrasil, the sentient central computer for the complex she was standing in… and, to be fair, the entire world, although it wasn't as through there was much requiring its attention anywhere but in the Twilight Palace, at the moment.

"Download and copy all files, before you do anything else. We know all too little about the people who had the gall to build their little kingdom on top of our graves. The intelligence our guest has provided is not nearly enough for my tastes."

" **I did so immediately upon link establishment, Master. Their security is insufficient to either detect or repel my advances."**

The dead woman smiled slightly. "Well done. Have you confirmed the presence of the target on board?"

" **Confirmed. Vessel cargo manifest lists five gems of unknown origin. Physical description consistent with Dimensional Drive Units, Aharasala Heavy Industries model 66-92Y."**

"Five? That's better than I'd hoped for. We need to get as many as possible away from that ship, Yggdrasil, but I'd prefer to handle this subtly if possible. We don't have the capacity to fight a war right at this moment."

" **Confirmed. Accessing command subroutines…"**

On board the _Vishnu,_ the first officer turned to the Captain to report that there had been a slight error in one of the automated status reports from the engine room, and that they should probably run a diagnostic on the central computer.

It was roughly this exact second that Yggdrasil seized complete control of the _Vishnu's_ central command systems, and ordered them to begin venting the ship's atmosphere.

Deciding that this would be sufficient distraction, Yggdrasil promptly left the subverted environmental programs to cheerfully carry out their new instructions and began to implement the next stage of the operation. Several security programs, activated by this far more overt action, attempted to hinder its progress, but they were neither advanced enough technologically nor powerful enough magically to hold off a sentient computer capable of handling the information processing of an entire magical world. It continued working its way through the _Vishnu's_ systems until it finally located the systems for control of the cargo containment units. This section of the ship was, conveniently, designed to jettison in the event that the cargo was discovered to be hazardous, allowing the rest of the vessel to be preserved.

Yggdrasil informed the hold computers that, yes, the cargo was highly dangerous and that the hold should be ejected immediately. It then seized command of the small robotic drones used to handle materials dangerous to organic life and ordered them to wait thirty seconds after ejection, then gather near the thinnest section of the container's hull and self-detonate.

With the Drive Units safely away from the ship, Yggdrasil determined that nearly two minutes of ship-wide explosive decompression had probably distracted the crew enough. Informing the environmental command routines that they had done a very good job indeed, it ordered them to begin restoring the atmospheric integrity as much as possible. The suffocating crew, who had been fighting desperately against their own rapidly diminishing oxygen supply, collapsed to their knees and began breathing gratefully.

The Captain, a long-time veteran who had never before had any ship he'd served on spontaneously try to kill him, looked across his bridge like the natural leader he was and said in his most commanding voice, "What… the… Hell?!"

Okay, he wasn't really looking across the bridge, and his most commanding voice was a pained gasp from two minutes without air. But he was doing his best.

"I'm… checking…" the first officer gasped, checking his console. "Um… sir…?"

"What?"

"The ship's computer… has… well…" the officer said, sounding somewhat embarassed. "Well, after it brought the air back... it seems to have erased itself. Completely."

"… _WHAT?!"_

And just to prove that even a planetary scale sentient machine can have a twisted sense of humor, before Yggdrasil ordered the _Vishnu's_ computers to completely erase all files, condemning the crew to days of drifting helplessly before they could manage so much as the most basic communications, it ordered one of the cargo drones that had been in the maintenance bay for a software upgrade to travel to the brig, open the doors, and drag one of the unconscious pirates to one of the secondary command terminals. And so it was that the _Vishnu's_ security detail, following a massive computer failure and patrolling the ship searching for potential problems, found Captain Jacobus 'The Terrible' Tarra, himself having not ten seconds earlier woken up from his oxygen deprivation induced nap.

Outside his cell.

Next to a computer terminal.

And so it was that the erstwhile Captain Tarra received his second brutal pounding of the day.

And so it was that nobody on the _Vishnu_ noticed, or was even capable of noticing, when a small explosion split open their ejected cargo container, letting the contents fall into dimensional space. Nor did they notice when, on the other side of the small rip in the maelstrom, the dead woman extended one hand and made a beckoning gesture, causing five small gems to float out of the ruptured pod.

The dark gate snapped shut behind them, leaving no clues as to what, exactly, had made the _Vishnu_ go completely insane. The dead woman smiled at the green globes floating serenely above her outstretched palm. " _Finally_. After a year spent scrying old storage facilities to find some functioning units, then being beaten to the punch by a pack of common thugs, it's about time something went _well_ around here. I never would have expected to find five working units. And they're still in such good condition after all those millennia! I wonder if that's because the sun went dark near the depot world? Cold does funny things."

" **Uncertain, master. I could conduct a study, if you wish."**

The dead woman giggled rather girlishly. "No, no, that's all right. As long as they _work_ , it doesn't really matter _why_ they work." She said, smiling at the gems, which seemed to glow more brightly in response. "They're quite lovely, aren't they?"

**"I am afraid I am unable to make such aesthetic judgements, my master."**

**"** No need to apologize. Truthfully, their real beauty lies in their utility, more than their appearance." She said, smiling more widely. "So small, and yet, within them lies the potential to turn back the clock nearly half a… million… … actually, no. Download all files from that vessel concerning the current universal time and calendar system to my memory, and begin using it yourself as well. Language, also."

" **I do not understand, master. I see no reason for you to lower yourself to the level of the current…"**

"Our world is dead, Yggdrasil. Our empire is dead. And both have been that way for some time. If we hope to bring them back from the great beyond, some things are going to have to change by necessity. Most importantly, we need to able to communicate and relate to the common populace of the modern day civilizations."

" **Very well. Command confirmed. Rerouting… rerouting…"** The dead woman closed her eyes as new information and concepts rushed into her mind, accepting the pain as nothing more than the price for such knowledge. Growth often hurt. After a short pause, the computer began to speak again, but in a completely different language. " **Universal translation program active, new time systems integrated. The current year is Dimensional Calendar Year 66. This unit has been offline for approximately 199,941 standard years by the TSAB calendar."**

"… really? My, they have rather long years if that few have passed."

" **TSAB Calendar years are based on the routine appearance of a dimensional vortex located in coordinates…"** Yggdrasil began helpfully.

"Yes, thank you, but I don't actually need to know that just this moment."

" **Of course, master. Is there any information you do require?"**

She thought for a moment. "Well, I do wonder as to the status of my guardians. How are their repairs going?"

" **Restoration of Lightning and Ocean units has reached 90% completion. They will be operational and ready for field work within the next eight standard days. Restoration of Flame unit has reached 84% completion. It will be operational and ready for field work within the next ten standard days."**

"They do have names, you know." The dead woman said dryly. "But I suppose I can't fault you for being impersonal, given that you are not, in fact, a person. Continue their repairs then, and send 'Ocean' and 'Lightning' to install the first driver as soon as they are complete. Oh, and shut down surveillance of my bedchambers. I'm still getting used to holding those rifts open for more than a few seconds, and this body hasn't a great deal of stamina. I need to rest."

" **As you command, Master."** Yggdrasil said.

Travelling to the lavish bed in the adjoining chambers, the dead woman laid down on it and let the five small gems float freely in the air above her. She smiled at them again as they cast their soft green glow over her face. "Eight days." She said softly. "In eight little days, we'll get it all back."


	2. Picnics Are Bad

School was a very time consuming thing.

Working and training with the TSAB, even part time, was also a very time consuming thing.

And so, on that rare, once-every-few-months-if-you-were-lucky day when a full-time student and part-time mage didn't have to do either, there was nothing to do but enjoy oneself.

Nanoha Takamachi hummed happily to herself as she tied her hair up into its usual style. She had been in a good mood recently, after all. School was going well, and she was getting to spend more time with her friends than she had for some time; especially Fate, considering they worked together too. And as for work, the worst crisis recently had been those pirates last week. And 'crisis' was being used very, very loosely in this case, considering the entire problem had been solved in about fifteen minutes by two ten-year old girls and a dog.

But today was a rare, precious day off, and she was absolutely determined to enjoy it. The sun was shining, Arisa, Suzuka, and Fate were all free, and the lunches were courtesy of Midoriya Café. Forget mage duty, it was time to go out, enjoy the best weather of the year, and indulge in a meal with friends in one of the most time-honored and beloved of settings. It was, in short, _picnic time._

Now, the universe is a strange and complicated place. Expanding for infinite distance in all directions, filled with countless trillions of worlds, stars, and phenomena that no human being could possibly hope to comprehend, much less define. And a long standing debate has raged between sentient species on worlds throughout creation as to whether or not this magnificently complex existence sprung into existence of its own accord, or was created by some higher power. Realistically, it is distinctly unlikely that a definitive answer will ever be reached, at least in our lifetime. But a few things are absolutely certain:

If there is a god or gods, than he/she/it/they has/have a highly defined sense of irony. He/she/it/they keep/keeps a close watch on optimists and deeply enjoy/enjoys screwing with them. And finally, if god or gods exist, then he/she/it/they has/have a deep and burning hatred for people attempting to eat picnic lunches.

If none of the above is true, then apparently picnics are simply cursed. Possibly by quantum mechanics.

Whatever the case, the most likely method to ensure that one's day does not go as intended... and to, most likely, ruin it... is to plan and attempt to carry out a picnic.

Fate Testarossa… No, no, it was Harlaown now. It was so new, she sometimes forgot that the adoption had been finalized only a week or two ago. She would have to do something about that… maybe start using _both_ names? Fate Harlaown Testarossa? She'd have to think about it.

In any case, Fate Who-Had-A-Last-Name-Even-If-She-Wasn't-Sure-What-It-Was stretched, yawned, and leaned back against the tree she had climbed.

_You know you don't have to sleep in trees anymore, right? It's been awhile since we had to run a stakeout... unless you know something I don't. Is danger lurking in the tall grass?_ Arf thought to her in a slightly mischievous tone.

_If there were, I'd be relying on your nose to find it, so I'm the one who should be asking that._ Fate replied in the same slightly irreverent tone of thought. _But in any case, I_ like _climbing trees. It's fun._

_Fun? No, no. Fun is down here. Those little brats will never see their precious Frisbee again! Mwahahahaha!_ Arf thought jovially, hiding beneath the tree Fate had chosen to rest in, someone's toy clenched firmly between her teeth. She was, obviously, in her puppy form at the moment; a grown woman or a giant wolf running around carrying a toy in her mouth would have been a tad conspicuous.

_Arf. You didn't seriously steal some poor kid's Frisbee._ Fate thought in disbelief.

_Hey, we're supposed to be having lunch here, in like ten minutes! We don't want a bunch of loud kids running around throwing things while we're trying to have a nice picnic. Plus, hey, free toy! I'm really not seeing the downside for me here._

Fate sighed.

_Fine, fine. I was just kidding, you know that. I'll give it back._ A brief pause. _Eventually._

In spite of herself, Fate chuckled. She supposed if her familiar stealing a cheap plastic disk from overly energetic children was the worst thing she had to worry about, it would be a rather nice day. And Arf really would give it back. She was good at fetch.

Smiling at the sound of soft footsteps approaching, Fate prepared to leave her perch. She assumed it was Nanoha and company, approaching quietly because they thought she'd fallen asleep. She leapt down from the tree, hoping to surprise them… and found herself face-to-face with a girl about her age, but not one of the ones she'd been expecting. The girl in question had pale white skin, royal blue hair and eyes (which may have been odd for Earth, Fate could never tell. She _thought_ it was strange, but then Suzuka's purple hair kept flashing into her mind. She'd never had the courage to ask if it was dyed or not.), and a strange, stylized tattoo looking like three interlocked crescents inside a triangle emblazoned on her forehead. Most unusually, however, she was wearing a formal and, from the looks of it, very expensive kimono in shades of blue and green. While it was a lovely garment, it was not even remotely what any reasonable person would wear to a day in the park. And yet, here it was…

Fate smiled. "Oh, hello. I'm sorry if I startled you, I thought you were a friend of mine. I'm waiting to meet someone here."

The girl stared at a spot a few inches to Fate's left. "Oh."

"Um… my name is Fate. You are?" She asked the girl hesitantly.

"… animal."

"… Eh?"

"That animal. I've never seen one like it before. May I take a closer look at it?" The girl asked.

"Oh. Well… um…" Fate thought for a second, realizing she couldn't very well say, 'Oh, just let me ask her' in front of a stranger. _Arf?_ She thought.

_I don't know… this girl smells a little funny…_ Arf said. _Not to mention_ looks _a little funny. And_ acts _a little funny…_

_She's… she's probably just eccentric. Rich people are a little different, sometimes. Just let her pet you or whatever she wants to do. She seems harmless enough._ Fate chided.

_Fine, fine. I guess if you're okay with it, it's not a problem._ Arf agreed.

"Yes, that should be fine." Fate said finally. The pause had been minimal while they communicated telepathically, but Fate had a feeling that they could have paused for a week before the girl in front of her began to notice. "She's very friendly."

"Ah. Ah-ha." The girl said, then knelt down to stare intently at Arf. "Quadruped. Two eyes, two ears, jewel on the forehead appears to be purely ornamental," She intoned dully. She then lifted up the sides of Arf's mouth, something which would have probably made a real dog bite her but just made poor Arf look rather baffled. "Elongated canines… carnivorous? But small. Juvenile, or a low-tier predator focused on rodents and the like? Rounded snout, head and paws out of proportion to body… most likely a juvenile, then," The girl then turned to the increasingly confused young mage. "This animal… is a pet?"

"Um… well, I suppose yes. She's my dog." Fate replied.

"Ah." The girl said, then began to stare into space.

Silence reigned.

"Are you okay…?" Fate asked after a few seconds.

The girl remained silent.

"Um… miss…?"

"Is this animal cute?" the girl asked.

"… huh?"

"Oh, dear, did I use the wrong word? I meant to ask if this animal is aesthetically pleasing. I find myself a poor judge of such things…" the girl said, her voice trailing off.

"Oh! Yes, well… I'm biased, because I'm her owner, but I think she's very cute. And most people seem to agree with me." Fate said jovially.

_Awwww…_ Arf thought happily.

The girl, for her part, nodded mechanically twice, as if processing this new thought. She then patted Arf on the head exactly once and said, "Good juvenile predatory quadruped. You are cute."

_It… it loses some of the charm when she says it._ Arf thought.

"I'm glad you think so…" Fate began.

"Have you seen my brother? I was here with my brother for a very important errand, but he often wanders off when we are on business, and I'm afraid I've lost him." The girl said, steering the conversation in a whole new direction without the slightest warning or segue.

"Oh, um… maybe? What does he look like?"

Silence.

Silence.

"… male?" The girl replied.

"You… you don't know?" Fate asked doubtfully.

"Should I?"

"Well, you said he was your brother…"

"Oh. Yes." The girl said thoughtfully. "I suppose I should know a good description of him, then, shouldn't I?"

"… Yes?"

"Hmmmm… he's… well…" the girl said, making several vague motions with her hands. She then fell silent.

"Is… is that it?" Fate asked doubtfully.

"Is what it?" The girl asked.

_Faaaate, this girl is crazy…_ Arf thought in a tone that was getting increasingly creeped out as the conversation progressed.

_I know, I know! I don't know what to say to her!_ Fate replied in a tone that was getting increasingly desperate as the conversation progressed.

"Ooooh, Fate, who's this? Is she a friend of yours?" A blessedly familiar voice asked from behind Fate.

"Nanoha! Arisa! Suzuka!" Fate said in desperate relief. "Thank God!"

"While it's nice to be appreciated, I suppose, all I did was bring lunch…" Nanoha said, a goofy smile on her face.

"Okay, everyone, this is…" Fate began, then remembered the odd little girl had never actually introduced herself. "This is a girl."  
"… really." Arisa said in her most deadpan of tones.

"Yes, really." The girl said helpfully.

"Right. She says she's looking for her brother, and she's… been less than informative, otherwise." Fate said.

"Oh! You poor thing, you're lost?" Suzuka said. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Could you help me find my brother? He should be nearby."

"Well, of course we'll help!" Suzuka offered instantly. "What does he look like?"

"Oh, no." Fate said, her face falling visibly.

Nanoha cast a worried look in her direction. "What's wrong?"

"I already asked her this. She didn't exactly provide top-class information…" Fate said glumly.

"He's about a head taller than me, and looks a few years older. His hair and eyes are the same color as mine, and he has this same tattoo on his forehead." The girl said calmly.

"What… but… you…" Fate sputtered.

"That seems pretty good to me, Fate." Arisa said.

"But… when I asked… she…" Fate said.

"That's the same thing I told you…" The girl said softly.

"No you didn't! You just waved your arms around!"

"Really?" The girl said doubtfully. "That doesn't _sound_ like me…"

"... I… I… I…" Fate said eloquently.

"Are you sure you haven't been out in the sun too long?" Arisa said.

"Maybe she has a cold…" Nanoha ventured.

"Oh! Poor thing, let me check your temperature…" Suzuka offered.

"AH-HA!" A very, very loud male voice proclaimed. A young man who fairly clearly had to be the girl's brother leapt… literally… onto the scene, kicking up a small dust cloud as he slid to a stop. He was just as the girl had described him, albeit dressed even more oddly than she was.

"A… a Shinsengumi?" Nanoha said. "I… I wasn't going to mention the girl's kimono, but why is this boy dressed like a samurai?"

"I _knew it_!" The young man proclaimed. "I knew that something had happened to you! You've been kidnapped!"

"Oh, no, we were just trying to help her…" Fate began.

"Confirmed." The girl said.

"So you _did_ kidnap her! I knew it!" he said, a smug smirk appearing on his face.

"Actually, I think she was agreeing with Fate..." Suzuka said.

"As soon as Tsukuyomi vanished, I thought to myself, 'Yes, she's definitely been kidnapped', and here she is! I found her, because I'm extremely dedicated, yes!" The boy said, continuing to barrel straight down the wrong side of the intellectual road.

"I didn't vanish. You did." The girl, apparently named Tsukuyomi, pointed out.

"Hush, Tsuku. That's not how I'm choosing to remember it." The boy said. "Now, you kidnappers, there's no escape for your sort! I will rain justice down upon you all for attacking my poor little… sis… ter…" he trailed off. "Is that food, you have food there?"

"Um… oh, yes…" Nanoha said, remembering the basket in her hands. "We… were going to have a picnic lunch, then maybe go shopping… if the weather stays nice…"

"… AH-HA! Then you're in luck! For the low, low price of a sandwich, I will happily forget your crimes and let you leave this place unpunished!" the boy proclaimed grandiosely.

"He'd really forgive his sister's kidnapping for a snack? Some samurai…" Arisa said dryly.

_They're both crazy!_ Arf helpfully pointed out, expanding her telepathic speech to include all of the increasingly confused girls.

"I was not actually kidnapped…" Tsukuyomi said mildly.

"Whaaaaat?! You weren't?! Then what's going on here?!" the boy asked.

"I wanted to study that animal."

Tsukuyomi's older brother followed the line of her finger to look at Arf.

Silence reigned.

"CUTE!" He suddenly snapped, making everyone present (except his sister) jump halfway out of their skin. "Tsukuyomi, this animal is extremely cute!"

_Again… it sort of loses something when he says it_. Arf thought dryly, beginning to become desensitized to the rambling train of dialogue.

"Oh… um… thank you. I'm her owner, Fate Tes…" Fate began, trying to steer the conversation into something resembling human speech.

"And these girls! Now that I take the time to look at them, all of them are also cute!" the boy said, almost _angrily._ "In fact, if I really take the time to look, they're all _very_ cute!"

"Well, he's a little odd, but I guess he's not _all_ bad…" Arisa commented modestly.

"And in fact, you in that outfit is also very cute, Tsukuyomi!" He proclaimed, now seemingly on the edge of panic. "There's way too many cute things here, Tsukuyomi, too many! It's too distracting! We have to finish our errand or big sis will be really mad when she wakes up, but it's hard to focus on work with this many cute things running around!"

"Oh, are you on an errand?" Nanoha asked.

"Yes, we were sent out to deliver something, but we can't find where we're supposed to be going and everyone keeps looking at me funny even though I checked before we came and this is definitely appropriate garb for a warrior in this region!"

"Oh, you're lost?" Suzuka asked, delicately choosing to ignore a great deal of the previously spoken sentence. "Well, where are you trying to find? Maybe we can give you directions."

"It's… um… oh, where was it? AH-HA! That's right! I have a note!" He said triumphantly, pulling a sheaf of paper from inside his… armor. "We are looking for… _dammit, these aren't words!_ " He screamed in frustration.

"Hmmm? Oh, you don't read Japanese?" Nanoha said.

"I don't? Hmmmm…I don't! Why do I feel like I should? Ah, well, I guess it doesn't matter if you can. You… _can_ read these bizarre symbols, right, small girl?"

"Well, yes, of cour…" Nanoha began.

"Then all is not lost! Hurry, translate!"

"Hmmmm… okay, it says 'Gate 1, Tokyo, Japan… Earth. That's the small island on the easternmost edge of the largest continent. You should arrive reasonably nearby, so look for any especially large… leylines?'" Nanoha translated.

"Very well done, small girl! You're very smart!" the boy said cheerfully. "And Tokyo is… huh. Where?"

Arisa pointed to the south. "It's that way."

"Oh, thank you."

"About two-hundred kilometers that way."

"… oh."

"You… seem to be a little more lost than we thought." Suzuka said. A very polite girl, that one.

"Kilometer… hmmm… is that anything like a Tiketa? It's sort of stupid unit of measurement, based on the footstep of some obscure Emperor from six-hundred years ago. That guy was a jerk, but hey, I got used to his measurement system." The boy said.

"I… I have no idea."

"Wait, wait! Kilometers! Of course, that was in the download package! Geez, mine must have been faulty or something. But how did we end up two hundred… ah, well, I suppose even computers aren't perfect. C'mon Tsuku, if we hurry we should be able to make it there pretty quickly." He then picked Tsukuyomi up bodily and slung her over his shoulder like a sack of vegetables before sprinting off in the direction Arisa had pointed. "Thank you, small girls!" He shouted as they disappeared into the distance.

The girls just stared.

"So. Nanoha." Arisa said, after a short while.

"Yes?"

"I'm still sort of new to this whole mage thing you and Fate have going on, but I'm going to hazard a guess and say those two probably weren't from this world."

"Oh, no." Nanoha said.

"Not even close." Fate said.

"I'm a talking dog, and even I seem less out of place than they do." Arf said.

"So, I'm assuming we're going to have to reschedule our day off?" Arisa continued.

"It's… it's beginning to look that way." Nanoha admitted.

"You know, Nano," Arisa said. "I know you really love it, but I've got to say I sort of hate your job, sometimes."

"It… it has certain downsides." Nanoha admitted in a chagrined tone.

(*)

"Our cover is compromised," Tsukuyomi commented mildly. Once out of sight of the small group of human girls, the two had taken to the air, reasoning that as long as they stayed at cloud level anyone who spotted them would think 'bird'. As fast as they were, it was only minutes before the Tokyo skyline came into view.

"No, it isn't! I mean, only a real mage would know that converging leylines signify a dimensional stress point, right? And what are the odds that any of those girls was a mage? This planet is still burning fossil fuels!" the boy pointed out.

"The odds are approximately 245,108 to 1," Tsukuyomi admitted. Then the small oval-cut sapphire on her pendant glittered briefly. "Recalculating. The odds are 1 to 1."

"Oh, you cannot be serious." The teen boy said, looking over his shoulder to see three dots in the sky behind them, rapidly growing larger. "Her majesty is not going to be happy. Big sis will be even less happy."

"Our orders were to remain undetected until the first driver is placed. This mission is a failure." Tsukuyomi said.

"Don't be stupid. They might not want a fight, and even if they do it's three against two. We can handle them."

"And if they represent the Bureau?"

"Ugh, good point. If they have reinforcements we'd have to start a war, and that would be fun, but Ammy would hurt me. What should we do?"

"Lose them?"

"Can we? They've got a pretty good lock on us. Okay, here's what we're gonna do. I'll hold them here, you go on and find the gate."

"Can you handle all three?" Tsukuyomi asked, the faintest hint of concern in her voice.

The boy smiled viciously. "Little sister, you know I love ya, but if you ask me something like that again I might have to get mad. Just who the hell do you think you're talking to?"

"Ah. Ah-ha. Do not die, older brother." Tsukuyomi said, pulling away from him and speeding towards the rapidly approaching city.

The young man spun in mid air and skidded to a halt to face the three approaching figures. "Raijin, armor me."

" **Barrier Jacket.** " The pendant said. His barrier jacket, a white trenchcoat over an armored black bodysuit, flickered into existence. " **Time for combat, your highness?** " the device, a jagged piece of metal shaped like a small razor asked, its voice that of a young girl.

"Maybe not. Ammy and her majesty wouldn't want us to start a fight, so if we can talk our way out of this, we probably should."

Raijin shared her opinion of this course of action quickly enough. " **Boring!** "

"Well, if we can't convince them to leave, we'll have to wipe them out before they can call reinforcements. Is that okay with you?"

" **Strike like lightning and crush them, your highness!** "

"Hee hee. Bloodthirsty as ever, you crazy bitch." He said fondly. "Okay, okay, stand by. Maybe we'll get to play after all. Just to be safe, let's lock the civilians out of the loop, okay?"

" **Time/Space Sealing, activate!** "

(*)

_Fate, Nanoha. It looks like one of them stopped. Be ready for anything._ Arf, now in her human form, warned.

_Nanoha, do you think we should go in hot?_ Fate asked, clutching Bardiche but not yet ordering any combat actions from her device.

_Hmmmm… he doesn't look like he has his device prepped or anything. For all we know they're just tourists._ Nanoha thought doubtfully.

_In my experience, most tourists aren't looking for vaguely magical gates in Tokyo._ Arf thought dryly.

_Point taken. Still, I've noticed that in the past, our problems tend to end up solved by huge explosions, and beams, and things like that. It would be nice if we could just talk it out, once in awhile._ Nanoha replied.

_Nobody ever wants to just talk it out. Who do we know who's ever wanted to talk it out?_ Arf pointed out.

_… Even_ I _didn't want to talk it out at first._ Fate agreed reluctantly.

_I know, I know. But maybe they'll be the first! We could start a new trend where we just sit down and have a civilized discussion instead of blasting each other! Wouldn't that be nice?_ Nanoha thought desperately.

_It would certainly be simpler. And cause less property damage._ Fate agreed.

A rush of motion flew past them, and the air instantly became darker.

"A barrier…" Nanoha muttered. "Raising Heart, get ready, just in case."

" **Stand by."**

She'd have preferred to talk it out, but she wasn't _stupid._

The three girls came to a stop in front of the young man, now dressed in a barrier jacket and somehow managing to recline on thin air.

"Hey, ladies!" he said cheerfully. "How was your picnic?"


	3. Gods of War

Nanoha Takamachi had been a mage for roughly a year, and in that time had been exposed to two major cases. Both of them had been deep, emotional and complex. Many people had suffered in both, and many more had had the wounds in their hearts healed. Both had changed her, forever.

Both had also been solved by, for all intents and purposes, pointing Raising Heart at the problem and blasting it until it wasn't a problem anymore. So she was certain to keep one hand on her staff and ready to blow the strange boy out of the sky if necessary. She didn't _want_ to, of course, but hey… there was a girl in black floating right next to her and a quartet of Belkan Knights being trained at TSAB headquarters that proved it worked pretty well in a pinch.

"Hello!" she shouted, once they'd gotten within speaking distance of the young man. "Don't worry, we just want to talk."

"Oh? That's nice. I'd just like to talk too. What are we going to talk about?" He asked.

"We're with the Time-Space Administration Bureau. My name is Fate Testarossa. This is Nanoha Takamachi and my familiar, Arf." Fate said. Immediately afterwards, she kicked herself mentally for saying 'Testarossa' instead of 'Harlaown'.

"We know you're not from this world. We want to know why you're here? Earth hasn't discovered magical energy yet. There's nothing here you should be interested in." Nanoha inquired.

"You're here." The boy pointed out.

"I live here." Nanoha replied.

"I'm go to school with her, so my family lets me stay in our home here most of the time. I'm from Midchilda, originally." Fate offered.

"Where Fate goes, I go. You've ruined our lunch, by the way." Arf grumbled.

"My point stands. Apparently the Bureau found this world fascinating enough to train up a local and let one of their agents get educated here. Why shouldn't we take a look around? Maybe it's a really nice world, or something." The boy said, looking around as though checking the world for fleas or something. Maybe he would open the world's mouth and look at its teeth, his expression suggested.

"If that were the case, it wouldn't be a problem. But you're looking for something specific, aren't you? A 'gate'. And I can't help but notice you haven't told us who you are." Nanoha pointed out.

"Oh, that's right! Where are my manners? My name is Susanoo. There, we all know each other, isn't that great? Go away."

"Susanoo… and Tsukuyomi?" Nanoha wondered aloud. "Who are you…?"

 _Is there a problem, Nanoha?_ Fate asked telepathically.

_Susanoo and Tsukuyomi are the names of two Shinto gods. I'm simplifying this a bit, but it's a big religion here in Japan and..._

_I know, Nanoha. I've been going to the same school as you for awhile now. I've picked some things up._ Fate thought gently.

 _Right, right, sorry. It's just that as far as I know, Shintoism has never spread beyond Earth, but… well, the day that I buy that this guy is from Earth is the day that I hang up Raising Heart and take up knitting._ Nanoha replied.

_Hmmm… that is a little odd, I guess. If it was just one, that's one thing, but they can't both be coincidences._

_Remind me to ask Yuuno about it later. We've got more important things to worry about right now._ Nanoha replied. Out loud she said, "That's a start. But what is this gate you're looking for?"

"Sorry, but I really can't give you that information. To be frank, I'm not one-hundred percent sure I understand how it's supposed to work myself. But look, I do have some standards, and they include not hurting people who can't fight back. So I wouldn't be doing this if it were a threat to that city over there, all right? Plus, it's all for a good cause!"

"Which is…?"

"Um… I can't tell you that, either. Orders, and all." He dropped his voice into what he probably considered a conspiratorial tone. "Covert ops."

Nanoha sighed. "Fate?"

"Regulations are clear. Any magical artifact of unknown origin and purpose is to be classified a Lost Logia and restricted until determined safe by HQ. And unsupervised activation of a Lost Logia is, of course, illegal." Fate said.

"Okay, Mr. Susanoo. You seem like a pretty reasonable person… can't you just please walk away? We can't let you commit any crimes, but you haven't done anything wrong yet, so if you just stop right now than nothing will happen to you or your sister. I'm sure you have a good reason for wanting to find your gate, but most Lost Logia are extremely dangerous, even if you think you know how to use them. Please, can't we just settle this peacefully and go our separate ways?" Nanoha asked, a warm smile on her face to show her sincerity.

"Yeah, okay, I've got another idea. I'll let you meet Raijin." The young man extended his hand, and the jagged metal pendant he slipped off his neck began to glow blue before growing and configuring itself into an intelligent device… which, in this case, took the form of a really, really big axe. Actually larger than the boy holding it, in fact. "Say hi, Raijin."

" **Prepare to suffer!"** The axe said cheerfully.

"Sorry about that. She's a little energetic. Hasn't been out in awhile." Susanoo said apologetically.

"… Of course, maybe there will be a huge fight. Like always." Nanoha said sadly.

"Sorry, ladies. Well, actually," Susanoo said, his cheerful smile morphing into a predatory smirk. "I'm not _really_ sorry. I'm assuming you noticed that undercover really isn't my thing?"

"You were sort of pathetic at it." Arf said helpfully.

"HA! Yeah, I totally suck at the subtle things, y'know?" He said, his mirth apparently genuine. "I'm very much a straightforward brawler, if we're being honest. Unfortunately for you lovely young ladies, I'm really, _really_ good at it." drumming his fingers meaningfully on Raijin as he spoke.

"Please, there's no need for this. Just talk to us, there has to be some way we can…"

"Oh, come on. You think you can get me all worked up like this and still try to talk?! I've been skulking around avoiding notice ever since I woke up. A straight fight will be a nice change of pace," Susanoo said, that mad grin growing even wider. "I just hope you three are better quality than the usual garbage that seems to pass for a mage in this day and age, or even three on one will be pretty boring!"

 _Nanoha_. Fate thought. _Arf and I will hold him here. You need to break out of this barrier and find the girl before she reaches the Logia._

_Be careful, Fate._

_I always am. You're the one who always pushes it too far._

Nanoha didn't reply, but she did smile slightly as she broke away and rocketed past the young man.

"And just where the Hell do you think you're going?!" Susanoo roared. "Raijin, rip her out of my sky!"

 **"Thunderclap!"** the axe proclaimed, beginning to glow blue. Susanoo swung the blade, sending a wave of crackling electrical energy surging at Nanoha… or it would have been, had Fate not slammed Bardiche into the underside of his weapon as he swung, diverting his aim and sending the attack harmlessly skyward. Susanoo instantly swung the blade back towards Fate, who brought Bardiche up to intercept… and was slammed backwards by the force of the impact as though she weighed no more than a doll. Off balance, she was in no position to do anything but dodge desperately backwards before he could launch a more focused attack.

Fortunately, Arf was there, just like always. Susanoo broke off his assault to draw his weapon back towards his body, using the wide blades as a shield against the glowing golden punch Arf threw at his face. This time he was the one sent flying back through the air; Fate took advantage of his few seconds of disorientation to set up her attack.

"Bardiche! Load Cartridge and lock on target!"

" **Cartridge Load. Plasma Smasher, get set."**

 **"** Plasma Smasher… FIRE!" Fate shouted.

"Meet it head on, Raijin!" Susanoo ordered in reply.

" **Lightning Blade, ready!"**

Rather than dodge or deflect the attack, Susanoo simply swung the energy-charged blade directly into the stream of magic. Blue and gold lightning collided, sending off an explosion of light and thunder that filled up the darkened sky within the barrier.

"Heh, heh… hahahaha… HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Susanoo laughed uproariously when the light faded. "So you're a lightning mage too, huh? How'd that taste, Raijin?"

" **Quite strong!"** Raijin said in a cheerfully bloodthirsty tone totally incongruous with its childish voice. **"Ripping her apart will be fun, your highness!"**

"Um… thanks?" Fate said doubtfully.

"Oh, don't mind her. Trust me, that was about the closest this crazy thing gets to a compliment." Susanoo said cheerfully. "Hmmm… darn, I guess that brown haired girl got away. Nice work! You win!"

"… eh?" Fate said.

"What? You were trying to distract me so she could get away, right? Well, you did it! Good job!" Susanoo said.

"Oh… um… thanks?"

" 'Oh, um thanks'?" Susanoo repeated mockingly. "Come on, kiddo, show some energy! I just paid you a compliment!"

"Ah. So that whole 'frantic goofball' thing you had going back at the picnic wasn't an act, huh?" Arf said dryly.

"Hey! Don't mock me, tailed woman! If you want your master to be an effective lightning mage, energy and passion are the most important things! I know that's true because I say so, and I'm never wrong so it must be true!" Susanoo proclaimed.

"What about when you thought your sister was kidnap..." Fate began.

"MOVING ON!" Susanoo quickly interrupted. "Now, I'm going to compliment you again, and this time, show some enthusiasm when you accept it! Ahem… 'Why Fate, I think that huge lightning beam you shot at me was very impressive! I truly admire the skill with which you deal destruction! Nice job!'"

"… … …" Said a, by now, very baffled Fate.

Susanoo sighed deeply. "Wow. I see this is gonna take some work."

"Work?"

"Sure! As of now, I'm declaring you to be my new apprentice! I'll turn you into a first class lightning mage! You've already got the skills down, so all I really need to do is get you to have the appropriate attitude!"

"What?! I don't want…" Fate began.

"Oh, don't worry, it's no trouble."

"That's not what I was going to…" Fate began.

"Yes, yes. You were going to say you don't want me to overshadow you. I know, it's hard when your teacher is so awe inspiring. But don't worry! I understand that an apprentice cannot be caught in her teacher's shadow! No, she needs to spread her wings and fly! So fly, Fate! Step out into the world and let your presence inspire wonder from the masses like a bolt from the heavens!" Susanoo proclaimed grandly, striking what he probably deemed to be a heroic pose. "My apprentice, Fate Testarossa! The next great hero of this new generation!"

Arf struggled not to laugh.

_Arf! What the heck?!_

_I'm sorry, it's just… the look on your face…_ Arf replied, even her inner voice cracking with mirth.

"Can we… can we just fight now?" Fate asked, blushing furiously.

Susanoo sighed in disappointment. "Again with the bland! Ah, well. This is still your first lesson…" He smirked and held Raijin over his head with one hand. A turbine on the weapon's shaft began to spin, and the blade hummed with energy. "… so maybe I'll just to have _beat_ an appropriate action out of you!"

 _What was that? I didn't see a cartridge load, but the power from that weapon just…_ Fate thought frantically.

And then he charged, and time to think became a luxury.

* * *

 

A silver staff set with an oval-cut blue-green gem sparkled in the sunlight.

"Suijin. Move us outside of their sight." Tsukuyomi said, looking down upon the city of Tokyo from her perch atop a convenient office building.

" **Time Seal.** " The staff's voice intoned. The sky darkened once again as another barrier burst into existence, filtering those without magical abilities into a slightly different space-time.

"Thank you. Now, we must locate the gate. Please begin a wide area location spell, if you don't mind."

" **Search mode… Warning! Incoming!"**

Tsukuyomi raised her head to look around, to spot a rapidly approaching pink comet. "Susanoo could not hold them all."

" **Confirmed, my lady."**

"Prepare for combat, Suijin. We shall have to deal with this mage before we can continue our search."

" **Yes, my lady. Barrier jacket, activate."**

Tsukuyomi's kimono dissolved into an elaborately frilled dress in the same blue and green color scheme, including a pair of blue high-heeled boots and a green ribbon in her hair. Taking back to the sky, Tsukuyomi considered the approaching mage. "Good afternoon," She said once the girl had gotten fairly close. "I'm sorry, but I have a mission to accomplish. Could you please leave?"

"Please, you have to stop! I don't know why you're going after the Lost Logia, but trust me when I say that things like that are better left alone! If you stop now, there's still time for you to talk to your brother and avoid further violence. Otherwise, you two are going to end up in prison!" Nanoha pleaded.

"Lost… Logia?" Tsukuyomi asked. "Oh, the gate. Don't worry, it's not lost, we've just misplaced it. Now, please leave."

"Um… that's not actually what I meant…" Nanoha said.

"Yes, it is." Tsukuyomi said absently.

"… … … …"

" **Focus, master.** " Raising Heart chimed in.

"Huh? OH! Yes. My point is, that what you're trying to do could be very dangerous. Couldn't you just stop and talk it out before you go ahead? As things stand, if you don't at least make your brother stand down, I'm going to have to use force to stop you." Nanoha stated.

"Oh, that wouldn't be a good idea. I'm actually quite dangerous, if pressed." Tsukuyomi advised her. "But we could compromise, perhaps? I will convince Susanoo to stand down if you agree to withdraw and stop interfering with our objectives."

"Maybe, if you told me a little bit more about what you're trying to do…" Nanoha suggested.

"Unfortunately, my superiors have ordered me not to disclose that information. You already know more than you should." Tsukuyomi replied.

Nanoha readied Raising Heart. "Then I'm sorry, but letting you go through with your plans without even any explanation is just too much of a risk to this world. Please, put away your weapon and come with me."

"I see. Very well, I surrender." Tsukuyomi said, and motioned with her left hand. A six-pointed turquoise star blinked into existence at her palm.

"HEY! Who says they surrender while they're attacking?!" Nanoha protested, just barely dodging the bind that burst into existence around her and pretty much had to have been set up in advance. It caught the edge of her left foot, dispelling the flier fin on that leg and sending her into a spin.

"I am using deception." Tsukuyomi informed her, pointing the tip of her staff at the floundering mage.

"I figured that much out already!" Nanoha snapped, a little more worried about getting her flight spell working properly again.

"Waves, crash. Draw her into the endless current and crush her." Tsukuyomi incanted.

" **Cascade Break."** Water, seemingly from nowhere, gathered at the tip of her staff and fired at Nanoha in a punishing jet.

Deciding that now wasn't the time or place to be worried about spells, Nanoha took the simple approach; she stopped her fall by jabbing Raising Heart into the side of a building, then essentially pole-vaulted out of the path of the water jet. This turned out to be a very good decision, as the high-pressure stream sliced through the masonry like a knife through butter, sending a chunk plummeting to the streets below. At least the barrier around the area would ensure nobody got hit by it, thank God for small favors.

Tsukuyomi frowned. "That should have been faster… is the air too dry for even a simple spell like that?"

Finally, Nanoha managed to restore her lost fin, returning to something resembling controlled flight. Leveling her weapon, she shouted, "My turn! Lock on, Raising Heart!"

" **Divine Buster, stand by!"**

 **"** Shoot!"

"Defend me." Tsukuyomi requested.

" **Mirror Wall."** Suijin said, and a much larger hexagram appeared in the air between Tsukuyomi and the oncoming attack. The massive pink-white beam struck the turquoise barrier, and pressed against it for several seconds with no visible effect.

"Not good." Tsukuyomi said mildly. Although the beam did not penetrate, when the light cleared her shield had several visible cracks running through it. "You are… more dangerous than anticipated."

"Then don't fight me! Please, I've already told you I'd be happy to just talk this out!"

"Hm? No, I am not afraid of you." Tsukuyomi said coolly. "But you really have nothing to do with this, so I'd hoped to be gentle with you."

Nanoha looked at the building with the huge chunk sliced out of it, and imagined what might have happened if that attack had hit _her._ "…That was gentle?!" she asked, eyes wide.

"I was only aiming for your arm." Tsukuyomi replied agreeably.

"… … … … …" Nanoha said, eloquently.

"You see, if you only had one arm, you wouldn't have been able to continue and could have withdrawn while I…" Tsukuyomi explained, apparently mistaking Nanoha's mild terror for confusion.

"I… I get the idea." Nanoha said wearily.

"It is not ideal, but it is unfortunately striking to cripple is as gentle as I can be with you. My domains are water and moonlight, and most of my spells for defense and binding are linked to the former. It is a hot, dry day, and we are not near any large standing pools… with so little moisture in this atmosphere and insufficient time to produce my own, my ability to strike nonlethal blows is somewhat limited." Tsukuyomi stated. As she spoke, a turbine in the shaft of her weapon began to spin rapidly, and the feel of magic around her became thicker. "Do not worry, though. I am far more versatile than my brother. Even with my water spells crippled, I still have quite a significant repertoire, although the chances that I will kill you by accident are increased."

"That's really not a very good reassurance…" Nanoha said.

" **Lunatic Veil."** Suijin said.

* * *

 

Fate struggled to control the shaking in her arms and wiped some sweat from her brow before it could drip into her eyes. She spared a glance at Arf, who was in much the same boat.

 _You okay?_ Her familiar asked her silently.

 _Y-yeah. He caught me by surprise with that last exchange, but he didn't land any solid blows. His speed is only average, but his power and stamina are both off the charts. My arms are almost numb just from parrying… I can't keep close combat up for much longer. If we don't get some distance he's going to take us apart._ This thought in mind, she shifted Bardiche to Assault form, since it was more useful for long-range shooting than the Haken she'd been using to try to keep her head from getting chopped off.

Susanoo smiled cheerfully. "You two are truly impressive! I know I've said that before, but you're really defying all my expectations. The mage attacks at high speed while the familiar sets up binds and barriers… I can't afford to ignore either, and I can't focus on either one long enough to eliminate her without the other taking my back. Again, very nice!"

Fate smiled a little bit in return. "You're the impressive one from where I'm standing. Two on one, and you're still not letting either of us get far enough away to counteract your close range advantage. And I can't help but notice none of those attacks and binds you're complimenting have actually done much to slow you down."

"Hey, thanks! You know, you're a pretty okay girl, Fate Testarossa. I wish I could play with you a little bit more, but I do have a job to do. I guess I'd better finish this up. Raijin, load up a wide-range attack. We're going to just blow away the whole battlefield."

" **Storm Shatter, stand by!"** the axe said, that turbine beginning to rev again.

 _Fate, he's charging up for another big one, and I think he's aiming for you!_ Arf warned, putting up her best barrier.

 _Good. That turbine on his device… I don't understand the principle, but in practice it's no different than a cartridge; just a sudden, sharp power boost. Now that I know what to watch for… maybe I can finally spot an opening in his attacks!_ Fate said. "Bardiche?"

" **Cartridge Load!"** Bardich snapped two cartridges in, fairly humming with stored power.

"Get ready, and on my command…" Fate began.

" **Storm…"** Raijin shouted, drowning out the last of Fate's command.

" _… SHATTER!"_ Susanoo finished, swinging his blade in a wide horizontal arc. The attack that arose was similar in form to the wedge of lightning he'd hurled at Nanoha at the beginning of the fight, but significantly greater in scale; a vast wave of crackling blue death that filled the sky with light and a resounding thunderclap. Arf, barrier and all, was sent flying just from the shockwaves. Fate, the main target…

After the light cleared, Fate was simply _gone._

Susanoo's eyes widened. "Well, that isn't good." He said. And that was when the first of the golden missiles struck him, more and more flying in to smash into the off-balance man from all directions.

Fate, her barrier jacket in Sonic Form as she floated safely about a hundred meters _above_ her opponent, said, "Plasma Lancer, direct hit. Sorry, but an attack that huge really does leave you wide open if it misses."

A blue spark snapped through the smoke from the explosion.

"... oh, no." Fate said.

With her speed enhanced by Sonic form, dodging the axe as it came flying out of the cloud was simple enough. Unfortunately, being faster didn't help her avoid being surprised when she looked at the weapon and saw that there wasn't a person attached to it.

 _He_ threw _his dev-_ Fate began to frantically think, only making it about halfway through before Susanoo burst out of the smoke… bloody, burned, and with a psychotic smirk… and punched her in the side of the head.

Really, really, hard.

As Fate struggled to clear her vision and make her ears stop ringing, she only faintly felt the second hammer blow as he kicked her in the midsection as hard as he could. She felt vaguely aware that a simple physical blow, even with her defenses thinned by Sonic form, shouldn't have hurt so much through the field projected by her barrier jacket.

It wasn't really Vita's fault, she realized as her mind managed to piece the answer together, but Fate was delirious enough to blame her anyway. A weapon as large as Graf Eisen in the hands of such a small girl must, logically, have a system to eliminate the weight of the device, or it wouldn't be usable. Vita was certainly stronger than she looked, but not _that_ much stronger.

And this fact had led her to make the same assumption about Susanoo's Raijin; that such a huge blade must obviously have some method for making itself light enough to be usable. Only now did she recognize that, apparently the actual reason he could lift it so easily was that he _was_ that much stronger than he looked. Which meant he almost certainly was some sort of construct... that would be good knowledge to file away for when her brain started working again.

Continuing to try to think and stay conscious, she finally felt her fall slowed by something soft and warm. _Arf?_

"Gotcha, Fate. Hang on." Her familiar said. She then turned her head to look at Fate's assailant. "You…" she growled, quite literally.

Susanoo just smiled even more madly and extended a hand to catch his falling weapon. "Hahahaha! Again, very nice! To boost your speed that much without losing any power, that's an impressive trick! But it looks like you had to lower your defenses to pull it off. Too bad!"

 _Of course,_ he added silently, _I got very lucky with that last shot. If her defense hadn't actually dropped, or she'd reacted a fraction of a second faster, she might have taken my head off without Raijin to defend with. And even with a head injury to slow her down, I've barely touched her familiar the whole fight, and that big shot she hit me with pretty much destroyed my barrier jacket and ripped up my body pretty bad. Even if it's just me against the animal-girl, I wouldn't say I'm guaranteed a win. How fun!_

"So, you girls ready to keep going? Raijin, you're set, right?" He said out loud to his newly reclaimed weapon.

" **Never throw me again, you idiot! I am a melee weapon!"** Raijin snapped.

"… hey! You stupid hunk of scrap! We're in the middle of a fight, now's not the time to be second-guessing me!" Susanoo retorted, his wounds momentarily forgotten.

" **Our victory is because of my power, _your highness._ But you threw me away like garbage!" **the axe stated, adding a sarcastic tinge to the honorific.

"Hey, we're only _winning_ because I took the big risk and thought outside the box! Besides, I'm the one who got hurt because _you_ have no accuracy! Not to mention that you don't _have_ any power without me, so just switch off your voicebox and live with it!"

Fate got unsteadily to her feet (on thin air, no less), trying to ignore the ringing in her ears. "Hey… who said either one of you… is winning? The last time I checked, you look worse than I do."

"Heh, heh… hehehehe… HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Great! Just great! _That's_ the spirit I expect from my apprentice!"

" **We're not done talking about this!"** Raijin warned.

"You wanna have your memory core wiped after the fight? 'Cause I'll do it, and I won't even feel bad afterwards." Susanoo said mildly.

"… **Let's focus on the battle, your highness!"** the axe replied nervously.

"Arf?" Fate said.

"We absolutely… cannot lose… to this idiot and his idiot device." Fate said carefully, trying to keep herself steady despite most of her muscles feeling uncomfortably like jelly and a horrible pounding in her head.

"Oh, yes." Arf agreed.

* * *

 

 _This is new._ Nanoha thought, looking through the mist that had arisen around her and her opponent. While the purpose was not immediately obvious, given that despite the mist she could still clearly see both Tsukuyomi and everything else, it was safest to assume that this was some sort of trap. "Raising Heart, a barrier would be appreciated." She muttered.

" **Round Shield."** There. Now no matter what happened, she'd have _some_ protection…

"Insufficient." The girl's emotionless voice said… from right next to her ear, inside her shield.

She spun, Raising Heart rising into a defensive position, only to find nothing there. And of course, that was really the point.

" **Howling Moon**." Suijin intoned in its calm voice. A beam of silver light slammed into Nanoha's shield. Weakened by her distraction, it nonetheless managed to block the majority of the attack and she was merely sent sprawling across the nearest rooftop with a few new bruises. She snapped to her feet and scanned the area, but Tsukuyomi was nowhere to be found.

 _Not good._ Nanoha thought. _Illusion, teleportation or both? No… personal teleportation isn't that fast. It has to be illusionary, and it has to be the fog. It's making me hallucinate, some-_

" **Howling Moon."**

Nanoha did her best to dodge, it but was rapidly becoming apparent that her ears and eyes were equally compromised. She heard the blast approaching, saw the silvery light, but neither the sound nor the light had come from the direction the blast actually hit from, and in fact neither had actually come from the _same_ direction. It wasn't until she practically _felt_ the beam ruffling her clothing that she got an accurate picture of where the attack was approaching from, and just barely managed to turn a battle-ender into a glancing blow.

A glancing blow that hurt like _Hell_. If the girl's plan was just to wrap her in this illusion and keep taking potshots at her until she couldn't dodge anymore, it wasn't a half bad plan. A thousand beestings could kill you just as easily as a single bullet… and Tsukuyomi had all but stated she planned to kill Nanoha. With that grim thought bolstering her resolve, she assessed her options.

At this point, she had once again caught sight of the other mage, but she wasn't foolish enough to assume that the girl was actually where she appeared to be floating. _I need to get out of this fog! But how far does it extend… and will I even be going in the right direction? If I get turned around in here, I could just be walking into a trap. No, I definitely_ will _be walking into a trap if I do this incorrectly._

"Raising Heart? If you have suggestion, I'd love to hear it."

" **Sensor input obscured. Sorry, Master."** The device said, genuine sadness in its voice… at least Nanoha thought so. It was hard to be sure, but she liked to think that she'd gotten to know her device pretty well by this point.

"Don't apologize to me, I'm having the same problem." Nanoha said warmly. "Now, I think I've got a plan, but I need you to handle most of the heavy lifting, okay? I won't be able to do much in the way of concentrating, since I need to keep us… well, alive."

" **Without your help? Harder, but for my master, okay!"**

"I knew I could count on you!" Nanoha said, smiling brilliantly. "Oh, no. Just a sec…"

" **Howling Moon."**

This time Nanoha managed to dodge just a little better than the last time, but still went sprawling as her knee was clipped by the blast. She gritted her teeth through the pain and promised herself a nice long bath for her aching muscles once this was over. "Raising Heart, you still with me?"

" **The plan is?** "

Nanoha smiled mischievously. "Weeeeell… if we can't get out of the fog, we get _rid_ of the fog, right? How do we usually handle things like that?"

" **Full power, set! Stand by for Starlight Breaker."**

"It's like you read my mind. Now, here's the problem. You'll have to gather the energy without me, because I need to make sure she doesn't shoot us while we prepare. How long do you think that'll take you?"

" **By myself?"** The staff said doubtfully. It had, after all, never done this before, as Nanoha was painfully aware. Intelligent devices were designed to focus the mage's power, but Starlight Breaker was fueled by power from the surrounding environment, so, theoretically, Raising Heart should be able to do it without her will guiding the energy and shaping it. It probably wouldn't be able to guide the energy into anything resembling a coherent beam without her, but at the moment, all she needed was a really big boom. "… … **Two minutes, master."**

"Ouch." Nanoha said. Two minutes was a really, really long time considering her present situation.

" **I'll try better. Beginning charge,"** Raising Heart said apologetically, her familiar magical circle appearing around its tip and white-pink lines beginning to flow into the gem.

"Just do your best, okay?" Nanoha said consolingly, not voicing her thoughts, which were something along the lines of _Two minutes, how am I going to keep dodging these things for two minutes my knee is killing me and my shoulder is on fire and two minutes is a looooong time, and oh no here comes another one…_

" **Howling Moon."**

This time her left arm was the sacrifice, and went numb from the elbow down. She waggled her fingers experimentally, and found they moved all right; must have pinched a nerve or something. At least it wasn't broken, probably. _This is going badly. I won't make it the full two minutes at this rate. It's just so hard… my eyes and my ears are both lying to me, and they don't even have the good grace to tell me the same lie!,_ said the little voice in the back of her head that existed to make her doubt herself.

 _Okay, then._ Said the much louder voice in the front of her head that existed to beat up that other voice, take its lunch money, and make it go run away and hide in a corner. _If you can't trust your eyes and your ears, then why are you still listening to them?_

Taking flight, just to keep in motion and make herself a harder target, she clamped Raising Heart into her numb left hand as hard as she could and used her right hand to tear the ribbon off the front of her barrier jacket. Having clothes that grew back, she mused, was a big load off her mind. Ducking behind a building and hoping it would cover her for a moment, she shifted Raising Heart to her elbow and ripped the ribbon up to make the best earplugs she could manage. Then she closed her eyes.

Sight was a distraction. Sound was a distraction. And all that training to focus her mind had not been for nothing.

In her mind, she could still remember the battlefield. The position of every building was there, clear as day, like an outline in the blackness behind her eyelids. That was good, that was easy, none of that would change. The battlefield was static, it was simple to remember. Now all she needed was the dynamic aspect. Tsukuyomi, she knew, was watching her, waiting for an opening, and an opening appeared to exist.

There.

Nanoha Takamachi was not an idiot. If touch was the only sense she could reliably trust, then touch was the only sense she would use.

She didn't hear the enemy's spell call, she didn't see the silver light of the attack. But she felt the air move as the spell cut through it, and she felt her clothes ruffle as it came closer, and then she _moved._ And she felt the air move as the beam shot harmlessly through the spot where she had been.

From her vantage point below the girl, floating through maze of concrete and glass, Tsukuyomi's eyes narrowed. "She's found an opening so quickly? Interesting. Test it again when you've recharged, please." After about thirty seconds, Suijin again launched a bolt of silvery white light… and again, the odd bureau mage stepped through the air without so much as being grazed.

Tsukuyomi smiled. Maybe. It wasn't easy to tell; her mouth might have twitched or it might not have. "Yes, this girl is quite interesting after all. She reminds me somewhat of older sister, when she was a child.

"Suijin? I believe it is to time to change our pattern. Load a wide spread, rapid shot, full automatic."

" **Lunar Teardrops."** Her staff said. A dozen balls of silver light sprung into existence around the blue-clad mage.

"Lunar Teardrops, lock on… and fire." Tsukuyomi said.

Nanoha felt the air move again. Felt it move a lot, and from several different directions.

 _Oh, dear_ , she thought, and then there wasn't time to do anything but move, move, move.

To her credit, she dodged almost all of them. She wasn't exactly used to fighting blind and deaf, after all, and had really only thought of this plan as a crazy last resort. Frankly, it was a miracle that she had lasted through even one attack. To dodge two blasts by air pressure alone, then avoid all but two of the smaller, rapid-fire bursts? Amazing.

But being amazing didn't change the fact that two hammer blows slammed into her, one smashing her already-numb left arm and the other hitting right between the shoulder blades. She fell, bouncing off a building and colliding rather horribly with the street. _I should have shielded instead of trying to dodge._ Nanoha told herself. That, of course, had not been an option, given that her only chance of real survival lay with giving Raising Heart the opportunity to gather the needed magic, but pain makes people think funny things.

Tsukuyomi nodded in approval. "Good work, Suijin. Make certain she's incapacitated."

" **Target Locked. Howling…"**

" **Charge Complete. Time: 1 minute, 36 seconds."** Raising Heart announced.

"… Wait, what?" Tsukuyomi asked.

"Twenty-four seconds early. I knew you could do it," Nanoha said proudly, smiling despite her pain. She struggled to her feet, brandished her staff as best she could with one arm and no knowledge of her opponent's location, and shouted her challenge. "All right! It's my turn again, so get ready! Raising Heart!" She shouted, the gathered magic fairly bursting from her staff, the circle leaping into existence around her burning so brilliantly it was hard to look at it.

" **Starlight…"** Raising Heart began.

 **"** … Breaker…" Nanoha continued, holding the staff high above her head with her one good arm.

"… **_Explosion!"_** The two shouted in unison.

It was like someone had dropped a big, pink sun onto the streets of Tokyo.

The barely-stable power, gathered without the will of a mage to shape it, did not form a coherent beam. Rather, it simply _blew up_ , sending out a massive spherical burst of pink and white light that struck out in all directions, burning away the illusionary mist cloud as it did.

"Suijin! Fire!" Tsukuyomi said, showing just the tiniest amount of panic, the first genuine emotion she'd shown in a very long time. The spell she'd prepared beforehand blasted forth into the rapidly approaching energy sphere… and was swallowed up, followed shortly by its creator.

It was a few seconds before the light cleared… and considerably longer before Nanoha's eyes finally adjusted to the absence of it. She was treated to the sight of Tsukuyomi, her frilled dress tattered and singed, struggling to her feet on unsteady limbs. She finally managed to find her legs, using a slightly cracked Suijin as a crutch. The cloud of hallucinatory mist was completely gone. Tsukuyomi looked to be saying something; Nanoha took out her impromptu earplugs to be sure.

"In… insufficient." The girl breathed, a slight growl to her voice from the effort. "Your power… was insufficient… to incapacitate me."

"No way… after all that?" Nanoha gasped between pants for breath.

"I… released my own spell directly into your assault. It blunted the force enough for me to… put up a partial barrier before impact." Tsukuyomi said. _But if I hadn't…_ she thought, _I would not be standing right now. Just a child, and from a world the Bureau's files marked as not having achieved widespread magical proliferation, yet she has such power… who is this girl?_

"The damage… was notable." Tsukuyomi admitted. "Your powers continue to impress. But my combat ability remains at approximately 70%, while your injuries are obviously more severe. I am still more likely to emerge victorious."

"Well, we won't know until we try, right?" Nanoha said, dropping once more into a combat stance… as best she could, anyway.

"Confirmed. Suijin…"

 **"WARNING! Wide area magical disturbance detected!"** Raising Heart warned.

"What?! What's happening?!" Nanoha snapped, looking around and wishing there were fewer buildings in the way. Meanwhile, Tsukuyomi's staff had a much different report to give.

" **Primary Mission Objective detected, thirty six degrees southeast."** Suijin intoned.

Tsukuyomi immediately took to the skies, scanning the Tokyo skyline for anything resembling her target. She was treated, then, to her first view of the one sight that anyone would recognize in Japan's capital, Tokyo Tower. While it lacked the cultural significance for her that it might have had for someone actually from Earth, it was still a fairly impressive sight.

The fact that it was glowing probably helped with that.


	4. Reinforcements

A dome of soft green light surrounded Tokyo Tower, pulsing slowly but intensely. The power there was obvious to anyone with knowledge of magic… not actively hostile, perhaps, but ancient and implacable.

"Ah. Ah-ha. That absurd burst of power must have caused the gate to partially activate. Fortuitous." Tsukuyomi said, taking in the sight of the glowing structure with mild satisfaction.

"HEY! We're not… done…" Nanoha snapped, following Tsukuyomi into the air, only to stop at the sight of a beloved national landmark lit up like a berserk magical Christmas tree.

"Yes, we are." Tsukuyomi said. "Dimensional Driver, upload."

" **Active, my lady."** Suijin said, a marble-sized green jewel appearing in the air near the staff's own sapphire headpiece. Instantly, it began to pulse in time with the energy dome surrounding the tower.

"Dimensional Drive unit serial #01, commence immediate gate interface and reprogramming. Function ready, target coordinates ready. Command execute." Tsukuyomi ordered.

" **Affirmative.** " The small green gem intoned, a voice that sounded like dozens of people speaking in unison. It flashed brightly, speeding off like a bullet towards the dome of light surrounding Tokyo Tower.

"Oh, no you don't!" Nanoha snapped. "Buster Mode!"

" **Buster Mode, set up."** Parts shifted and extended as Raising Heart shifted into its long range sniping mode.

"Divine Buster Extension! _Shoot_!" Nanoha ordered.

Yet even as the pink energy gathered in her weapon, Tsukuyomi made no move to stop her. She simply floated serenely and said, "Futile…"

The divine buster screamed after the tiny gem, rapidly closing the space even as the gem flew to the tower. But rather than strike the gem as Nanoha had intended, the pink light swerved around it, and despite Nanoha's best efforts to correct, continued on to strike the tower…

… only to disappear, completely and harmlessly, the instant it touched the strange dome of light.

"Wh-what the…?!" Nanoha sputtered.

"Dimensional Transfer Gate," Tsukuyomi said helpfully. "A device intended for teleportation, both interdimensional and interplanetary, on a scale of size and distance beyond any other system ever devised… to the best of my knowledge. The actual device is underground, most likely shifted slightly outside time directly beneath the tower. But, to create dimensional warps of such magnitude, an immensely powerful magical field must first be created that extends a considerable distance from the gate proper. Even partially active, this magical aura will absorb all but the most powerful of spells directed against it. Fully active…" Tsukuyomi trailed off, as the small gem reached the outer edges of the dome.

For the second time that day, it was as though someone had dropped a star onto the streets of Tokyo.

Emerald light flooded the time sealing barrier, wiping it away and shifting the city back into the normal flow of time as it did so. The citizenry, suddenly able to see the (to them) inexplicable luminescence, reacted with varying degrees of panic as they were shocked and blinded.

Nanoha hurriedly set down on a nearby roof to avoid being seen… not that anyone in particular was looking at her random patch of sky when Tokyo Tower had, apparently, just been nuked… and Tsukuyomi landed beside her. "Fully active, it is virtually indestructible. Any and all energy that touches its aura will be absorbed and used to increase the gate's own power. And the moment the driver reached the gate's aura and interfaced with its control core, fully active status was achieved.

"Primary Mission Objective: Complete. You fought very well, mage. But this is my victory."

* * *

 

Susanoo whistled at the explosion of emerald light shooting up into the skies above Tokyo. "Well, what do you know? Looks like Tsuku pulled it off."

"What the… what did you do?!" Fate demanded.

"Sorry to tell you this, but your friend either didn't get there in time or was defeated. Tsukuyomi activated the first gate. Which, unfortunately, means our fun is just about over... yeah, looks like I'm being summoned." He said, and even as he spoke a black rupture appeared in the sky behind him. "That would be my ride. See you around, Fatie!"

"Wait! We're not…" Fate began, before stopping as her vision swam. _No… no! I'm not done yet! I have to stay standing!_ She thought furiously, struggling to order her thoughts and focus her eyes.

"Hey, are you okay?" Susanoo asked, what sounded like genuine concern in his voice. "I tapped you pretty hard when your armor was weak, and head wounds are nasty. If you have a concussion, you should really get to a medic as soon as you can, before it gets any worse. I've seen good soldiers die because they underestimated a blow to the head and tried to keep fighting."

"I don't have that problem." Arf snarled, her eyes taking on a decidedly animalistic glow. "You think I'm going to just let you walk away after you hurt my master?!"

"Don't be stupid. If your master is hurt, then as a familiar your first duty should be to get her help, right? Don't get me wrong, if you insist on starting something I'm happy to play with you, but I'd prefer to face you at your best. Do you really think you'll be able to concentrate on the fight when your master can barely see straight?" Susanoo asked frankly.

"… Damn…" Arf growled.

"Arf… I'm fine… we can do this…" Fate muttered, her knees momentarily going weak and making a liar of her.

"No, you're not, and no you can't." Susanoo said. "Look, just stop. Otherwise you'll get yourself killed trying to fight with a concussion, and you'll probably get your familiar killed trying to shield you. I don't like killing people who can't fight back, so I'd prefer you not bring it to that."

"I…" Fate began.

"NO! I'm the one who accomplished his goals here today, and I'm the one that can still fight freely, so that makes me the winner!" Susanoo snapped. "And if I'm the winner, you're the loser, and the loser has no right to decide what happens to them. If the winner decides to spare your life, then you just shut up and let your life be spared gratefully! Geez, having such a disobedient apprentice makes my life a lot harder!"

"I am _not…"_ Fate began, only having to stop halfway through to fight off another wave of dizziness. "… … … fine." She grumbled.

"Better." Susanoo said approvingly. "It's good that you girls are so determined, but that won't help you if get yourself killed before you can finish what you want to finish. I'll be happy to fight you to the finish some other time when we're both back to full strength,"

The young man stepped into the black portal, then turned to take a deep bow and say, "Still… I really did enjoy the time I spent with you today, so I guess I should give you a more formal introduction, just to show my respect. I am Susanoo, the knight of the sky and the guardian god of thunder and lightning. I've judged you girls to be truly worthy opponents, so from this point on you are absolutely forbidden to let anyone else defeat you! See you later!" He said cheerfully, smiling with childlike joy.

The hole in the sky closed, and he was gone.

* * *

 

"What have you activated?" Nanoha asked, once the light had died down. She had to shout to be heard over the near-riot in the streets below, but at least Tokyo was still there to _have_ such a riot.

"I've already explained that. It is nothing more or less than an advanced transportation device. It was constructed here a very long time ago, and it suited our purposes to activate it." Tsukuyomi said. "And, as promised, no lives were lost. Now, if you'll excuse me…" the girl stated, stepping towards the black portal that appeared beside her.

"Wait!" Nanoha implored. "What are you planning? What's going on here? Please, why can't you just tell me?"

"I truly am sorry, but I am sworn to secrecy on this matter. I do not relish it as my brother does, but I do have my honor as a warrior to uphold, and it will not permit me to disobey my orders. In fact, I would prefer that you avoid me in the future when I am on assignment, since I have no real desire to harm you. Oh, but feel free to examine the gate, if you wish… all command functions have been slaved to the Dimensional Drive Unit, so you cannot deactivate or alter any of the programming, but it is a fascinating device. And not a model I'm familiar with, I think… or am I familiar with it?" the girl asked nobody in particular. "Oh, I wish I had time to examine it to find out if I need to examine it… or is that the other way around? No, those are the same thing. But maybe it's for the best. What if I examined it and found out I'd already examined it? Then I'll have examined it twice, and I don't think I need to do that. Or do I…?"

"… huh?" Nanoha said.

" **Losing focus again, Master."** Raising Heart said.

"Oh! Oh! That's right! You can't just leave!" Nanoha said in a slightly panicked tone, holding her weapon up stubbornly. "If it's just about your 'pride as a warrior', then let's make a bargain. If I can defeat you, you'll tell me your plans as a prize for being a better warrior than you."

Tsukuyomi turned to face her, regarding her like someone might look at a slide under a microscope. "Your left arm is crippled, and your right leg is at the very least damaged enough that it is not reliable. Your barrier jacket has suffered significant damage from the strike you took to your back, and it would not surprise me to find that you have broken at least one rib.

"The damage I have suffered, in comparison, is essentially superficial. I am tired and I am in pain, but my limbs are still quite functional and my armor is largely intact. In addition, your staff is still configured for long-range sniping, and I am only two meters from you, leaving you at a disadvantage in any initial exchange. Your victory at this point is unlikely, to say the least."

"We won't know until we try, right?" Nanoha said, her determined tone not wavering.

Tsukuyomi said, "Very well. We will continue this battle to its conclusion." She then turned, took two steps and walked into the black opening, which immediately began to close.

Nanoha thought about that for a second.

"HEY! No fair running away! And stop saying one thing and doing another!" Nanoha protested.

Tsukuyomi tilted her head slightly. "I'm sorry if I've insulted you, but I don't really enjoy combat, and my mission here is completed, so..." She shrugged.

Nanoha sighed, a little sad that she'd been outmaneuvered in such an obvious (and frankly, silly) way. Apparently Tsukuyomi's 'pride as a warrior' was both extremely small and only applied to a very limited range of subjects.

As the portal continued to shrink, Tsukuyomi said, "Mage… what is your name? I never learned it…"

"Nanoha. Nanoha Takamachi."

Tsukuyomi's face turned thoughtful. "Well, you already know my name, but formalities should be observed." She turned back to face Nanoha and curtsied, managing to look somewhat elegant in spite of the disheveled state of her dress. "I am Tsukuyomi, the knight of the moon who reigns as a guardian goddess over the ocean. Fare well in your future endeavors, Lady Takamachi. I sincerely hope we do not meet again on the battlefield."

Nanoha stared at the empty space for a few seconds, before finally falling to her knees. It hurt to admit it, but it was probably for the best that the girl had left when she had. "Ugh. It's been awhile since I've gotten so beat up…" She said to nobody in particular. Silently, she added, _Fate? Fate, are you there?_

_It's Arf, Nanoha. Fate's got a little headache, so she doesn't want to think too hard right now._ Arf replied telepathically. _What happened over there?_

_I… well, let's just say things didn't go quite as planned._

_I figured out that much. What do you suppose we should do now?_ Arf asked.

_Well,_ I _think you should call the Bureau. In fact, it might have been a good idea to have done that_ before _you ran off after the strange mages. I mean, if you'd done that instead of just flying away to save the day by yourselves, maybe Arisa and Suzuka… who, by the way, are apparently smarter than all three of you combined… wouldn't have had to break half the traffic laws in Japan to make their chauffeur get to Nanoha's house and find a communicator that could reach the_ Asura, _and then maybe reinforcements would have arrived in time to make a difference_. _But you know, that's only a suggestion. Maybe you'd like to do something entirely different and much less intelligent._ An extremely familiar and annoyed masculine voice interjected.

Nanoha, eyes wide, noticed that a shadow had fallen across her, almost as though something was suddenly floating between her and the sun. Of course, this was completely and totally untrue.

Some _one_ was floating between her and the sun.

Nanoha, her face frozen in an expression that was only _slightly_ terrified _,_ turned somewhat stiffly to look above herself. "Oh. H-hi, Chrono…" she said, seeing Chrono Harlaown, currently Captain of the cruiser _Asura_ following Admiral Lindy's transfer to headquarters, floating there. He didn't look amused.

"For non-mages, Arise and Suzuka have become surprisingly sensitive, actually. They were actually able to notice when the time seal barriers went up, even from so far away, and they got worried about you. And since they were worried, Admiral Lindy was worried. And since she was worried, _I_ had to take the _Asura,_ and come all the way here. And we were _too late._ Because you _didn't call us_." Chrono said in a very, very cold tone.

"Heh… heh…" Nanoha chuckled somewhat nervously.

_Chrono sounds a little angry._ Arf thought.

_He looks it, too…_ Nanoha replied.

_He IS it._ Chrono thought. _Field team, if you could collect agent-cadet Harlaown? I've got agent-cadet Takamachi._ It may have been Nanoha's imagination, but it definitely sounded like he was emphasizing the word 'cadet' in both instances. _They both need some medical attention, after which I will be having a long talk with them about what happened here and the many ways in which I am less forgiving than my mother._

* * *

 

There were good and bad things about being on the _Asura._ For the good side, the medical facilities were excellent. After only about an hour, Nanoha could barely even tell she'd been injured, and Fate wasn't even dizzy anymore.

The bad thing was that Chrono was the captain, and he still wasn't very happy with them.

Apparently, being the top-ranking officer on the ship had affected Chrono a little bit. For one thing, he seemed to be under a little more stress, which made him slightly temperamental. For another, nobody on board the vessel outranked him, which meant he had to stand on decorum far less.

These things didn't add up well.

"You see these?" he said, holding up Raising Heart and Bardiche. "Very high quality devices. Some of the best I've ever seen. Useful for a wide range of functions, both combat and non-combat related. They even have devices to enable long-range communication built right in. So for example, if you were on a long-range reconnaissance mission, you could quickly contact your base or ship. Or perhaps if you are in a combat zone, and need to call in an orbital strike on a heavily defended position. Or if you find a _dangerous situation_ involving _potentially hazardous unknown artifacts_ and _potentially hostile unknown mages,_ rather than deciding to just _run in_ , you could use those communicators to let your _superior officer know that you_ _might soon be in mortal danger_."

"S-sorry, Chrono…" Nanoha said for what seemed like the three-hundredth time, although she still sounded just as nervous as the first. She was really starting to miss Admiral Lindy, weird taste in tea and all.

"We weren't expecting them to put up such a good fight. We admittedly made a few mistakes..." Fate said in the same mildly terrified tone.

"Oh, I'll say." Chrono said darkly. Then he sighed. "Buuuuuuut… I suppose I can't fault you for assuming you could deal with the problem on your own, given your records, and I really do need you two in the field if I'm going to solve this problem quickly..."

Fate smiled warmly, "Thank you, big broth-" she began.

"Yes, considering these factors, I believe that I will forestall your disciplinary review until after the conclusion of this new case." Chrono said.

"-er." Fate finished glumly.

"Geez, who put a stick up his…" the puppy on the end of Fate's bed muttered.

"You're speaking out loud, Arf." Chrono said very, very coldly.

"OH! Um… it's just… um… I'm trying to use as little energy as possible so Fate can heal faster, and I'm a little groggy, and I certainly wasn't talking to _you_ Chrono, you're Fate's big brother and have I mentioned I've always thought of you as sort of a big brother myself, such a strong and confident authority figure…" Arf babbled.

"Stop."

"Stopping." Arf agreed.

"Okay, girls. Now that you're not dropping on your feet, I think it's time for our mission briefing. Amy?" Chrono said. A small viewscreen descended from the ceiling, and in it appeared the familiar smiling face of the _Asura's_ executive officer.

"Fate! Nano! Hiya!" Amy said, waving enthusiastically. "Oooh, Arf, I didn't see you there! You're still as cute as ever, I see!"

"Amy. Stop being chipper. You're ruining my image." Chrono said, but unfortunately the greeting had already reached critical mass. Sighing sadly, he sat down and waited a few minutes for the four girls to get reacquainted. He looked at his glove for a few minutes after that while they started discussing when the trial for the Wolkenritter would be complete and how Hayate's physical therapy was going. He examined a loose ceiling plate while they talked about how Nanoha and Fate's education was progressing.

Then Amy started to relate the beginning of what he recognized as a situation that had occurred his first day of command, one which had involved a visiting Admiral, a broken port engine, and a stow-away insect whose sting caused intense hallucinations. And knowing Amy, if she began sharing that, she might get to the part where Chrono had gotten stung and …

"AMY!" He snapped, fighting his very hardest to fight down the redness in his cheeks. "We don't even have latrine duty, but I swear that if you finish that sentence I will _land us on a planet and dig some latrines just to make you clean them!_ "

"Hee, hee! I'll tell you later, okay?" Amy said, winking at Nanoha and Fate.

"No. You. Will. Not!" Chrono informed her.

"Amy, you shouldn't tease him," Fate said warmly. Then her smile turned impish. "Of course, maybe…"

"Would you two like to have your disciplinary action waived? Because I suddenly don't feel like punishing you anymore," Chrono said rapidly.

"What a thoughtful and kind brother you are, Chrono. I'll be sure to tell mom how nice you were to me." Fate said in an utterly angelic tone.

"What a nice boy he is." Nanoha said in the same artificially sweet voice.

Amy smirked. "You girls can thank me later."

Chrono sighed, that old familiar blush rising up full force. Weren't Captains supposed to be in command? "All right, if we're all finished with our insubordination, would it kill us to actually focus on business?"

"Well, on that front, I'm honestly not sure how much help I'll be. I downloaded all the combat and visual data from Raising Heart and Bardiche, and frankly, there's not a whole lot I can work with." As Amy spoke, images of Tsukuyomi and Susanoo appeared on the screen, still-frames from the fight. "Neither these two nor their devices are registered on any wanted list or roster of known mages in TSAB territory. This means that they aren't registered with us, but also that they haven't committed any crimes in the past."

"Or they just weren't caught." Chrono said grimly.

"Point." Amy admitted. "As for their objectives, this 'Dimensional Transference Gate' Nanoha said they activated… well, we have only their word that it actually does what they say it does, because our sensors won't penetrate that weird barrier it's generating. It _is_ slightly out of sync with this dimension, so at least we can be certain that at least none of the Earth governments will be able to figure out what it does… which is good, because if the Japanese newsfeeds are any indicator, they are _very_ confused. Oh, and good news! Since we know so little about this, we've asked for an expert consultant, and Command approved. Chief Librarian Scrya should be arriving within two hours to inspect the site personally!"

"Oh, Yuuno! That's great!" Nanoha cheered.

"So the old gang's back together? All we need now is our mom to show up to take command from Chrono." Fate said teasingly.

"I do _not_ need my mother looking over my shoulder, Fate." Chrono grumbled. "But it's good that Librarian Scrya will be assisting in this case."

"Really? I always got the impression you two weren't terribly close…" Amy said doubtfully.

"Well, the actual gate is apparently underground. Tiny vermin like Chief Librarian Scrya are good at slipping into small spaces, so he'll be able to get to the main body of the device. Maybe we can mount a little camera on his head to let us see it. Perhaps put it into a small pink ribbon that we make him wear. All for the good of the mission, of course," Chrono said in his most deadpan tone.

"Chrono, don't be a jerk." Amy admonished him.

"That's _Captain_ Chrono. _Captain_ Chrono, don't be a jerk." Chrono corrected her.

"Captain Chrono, don't be a jerk!" Amy, Nanoha, Fate, and Arf repeated obediently.

"All right, now if we're done with our second little bout of insubordination, may I continue the debrief?" Chrono asked. When nobody protested except for slight giggles, he said "All right then. While we don't know the mages identities or origins, but here's what we _do_ know. Judging by their average skills and energy output, both of these mages would be classed as at least AAA by bureau standards, more probably S or even S+… and of course, we don't know if what we've seen represents their full potential. But two things stand out. First, their magic symbols.

"Both of them shared a symbol, indicating a shared basic magical style. But it's a six-point star, unbound; it's got some similarities to the Midchildan circle, but not close enough to be the same school, and that was enough to convince me to run a check on it. In-depth scans confirm it's no magic I've ever heard of; the equations and formulae involved are, basically, insane. There are some similarities to common magical schools, but for the most part their spells appear to be just a random mass of numbers that every bit of education I have tells me shouldn't work at all. Further, users of the same magical style tend to have a similar focus, but the girl seemed to be a mid- to long- range type, while the boy specialized in close combat magic. Most magical techniques aren't that versatile; Mid-style will never be as powerful as Belkan at close range, and vice versa. It's troubling that not only are they using a style I've never seen before, but that it seems to be adaptable to an unusual extreme.

"And then, there's this." Chrono said grimly, running footage from both fights of the two assailants utilizing the turbines located on the shafts of their devices.

"Yes… that confused me for a moment too, but in function, it's not really different from the cartridge system…" Fate said.

"Yes. That's the problem." Amy interjected. "It appears to be similar in basic principle to the Starlight Breaker Nanoha uses. That turbine spinning signifies that the weapon is drawing in ambient magical energy, which it then compresses and injects into the device to give a sudden, explosive increase in power."

"So it is just like a Belkan cartridge system, just one that never runs out. Yeah, I can see that getting annoying in a long battle…" Nanoha observed.

Chrono chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "Yes, in function, it's an irritant, but hardly a game-breaker. The problem is in the theory behind it."

"Hmmm? How so?" Nanoha asked.

"I think I get where Chrono is coming from." Fate said, her own expression shifting towards worry. "Arf, you've made me cartridges before, when requisition queues were too long. How long would you say it takes to produce one?"

"Between the compression of the energy into the casing and the rituals needed to ensure it releases safely into a device instead of just blowing up? Roughly thirty minutes per round." Arf said, her own expression mirroring Fate's concern as best a puppy could.

Nanoha's eyes widened. "Oh."

"You get it." Chrono said. "These people have somehow cut that complex, thirty minute ritual down to a two-second charge sequence. We can't do that. _Nobody_ can do that. That technology is decades beyond anything the Bureau, the most advanced magical power in known existence, has access to." Chrono said grimly. "Combined with Fate's suspicions that they may be artificial life-forms of some kind, I'd have to say that not only the gate and the gem, but these mages themselves may qualify as Lost Logia. Even if the actual utility isn't anything special, the fact that unknown technology is in the hands of clearly hostile mages of considerable power, and they are actively seeking additional lost artifacts... if we don't nip this in the bud quickly, we could have a serious crisis on our hands."

"… First gate." Arf said.

"Eh?'

"That guy said they'd activated the 'first gate'. So there must be more dimensional whatevers, right? All we have to do is get them when they go for the next one, right? Now that we know what to look for, there's no way they can get away from us with all this help!" Arf said.

"Hee. It's hard to take your planning seriously when you're so cute." Fate said, drawing the puppy into a hug. "But you're right. We've got the _Asura,_ and we won't be caught by surprise again."

"And really," Nanoha said, trying to join in the good cheer, "There's only two of them, right?"

Oh, optimism.

* * *

 

On the dead world, a pair of feminine eyes widened in surprise at the appearance of the two disheveled and battered young figures in front of them.

Tsukuyomi dropped to her knees without hesitation. "All hail the Twilight Queen." She said.

"Hiya, queen!" Susanoo said cheerfully. "Oh, is Ammy ready to wake up? Can we watch?" Tsukuyomi, discreetly and elegantly, punched him in the back of the knee. "OUCH! I mean, oh, yeah, um… all hail, your majesty!" He said, dropping his other knee to the ground to match the one knocked out from under him.

"Oh, my." The Twilight Queen said. "You… you look rather worse off than I was expecting. When you were gone for three hours, I'd assumed you had just wandered away from each other and gotten lost, but apparently you met some resistance."

"Er… um… yes. That's all that happened." Susanoo said, neglecting to mention that they had, in fact, spent about two-and-a-half of those three hours being lost.

"Oh, my." The Twilight Queen said again. "Perhaps I should have prepared medical help? I didn't think you'd actually be damaged…"

"The damage is not serious, and self-repair is progressing in accordance with normal parameters. The mission was not compromised." Tsukuyomi stated.

"Well, of course not. Your loyal guardians wouldn't fail in their first assignment after so long!" Susanoo replied, smiling like a kid on Christmas. "But we did get to meet some interesting people. It was really fun!"

"How nice for you. I imagine Amaterasu will feel quite left out when she finally finishes her repairs." The queen said, running her fingers along a floating chunk of black crystal nearly 2 meters tall as she spoke. When her fingers touched it, it briefly illuminated to clearly display an attractive young women; not visibly older than her early twenties and with the slender build of a runner or swimmer. Her eyes were closed, but she had the tattoo of three interlocked crescents on her forehead, and her long, straight hair was the same shade of bright blue as Susanoo and Tsukuyomi's. She was, at the moment, wearing nothing except for a pendant resembling a bright red metallic arrowhead. The Twilight Queen withdrew her hand, allowing the crystal to fade back into darkness.

"So?" the Twilight Queen asked expectantly. "Your official report can wait, but since you had a good time, why not tell me all about it? Your leader isn't quite ready to wake up just yet, but I think she likes hearing the voices of her precious younger siblings."


	5. Ancient History

"Excellent work on activating the first gate." The Twilight Queen said. "But I'm concerned that you had such difficulty with a few common mages. Are you certain that you were fully repaired? You were offline for a very long time."

"No core deficiencies detected." Tsukuyomi stated.

"I was as good as I'm gonna get, given the circumstances." Susanoo agreed. "They were just really talented, is all, and maybe we're a little rusty. It's been awhile since anyone posed a challenge."

"Well, we knew we were going to come into conflict with the Bureau eventually. And in the absolute worst case scenario, we can implement a watered-down version of the Rebirth with only the single gate."

" **Plan success probability estimated at only 23.5% with current resources."** Yggdrasil warned. " **Every additional active gate will drastically increase the potential of achieving Rebirth."**

"I did say 'worst case'. Susanoo and Tsukuyomi should be able to secure at least one more gate before the Bureau assigns enough resources to stopping them to pose a credible threat… and by then, Amaterasu will have completed her regeneration," The Twilight Queen said.

"Have a little faith in us, Yggy!" Susanoo said cheerfully. "We are the guardian gods of this world, after all. We won't let it stay floating in this black murky… murk… forever!"

" **Lightning Unit, I was merely noting the risks inherent in continuing her majesty's plan with only a single Dimensional Transfer point under our control. It was in no way an indication that I lack confidence in your combat abilities."**

Susanoo rolled his eyes. " _When_ are you going to start calling me by name?"

" **I refer to your by your appropriate designation, and will continue to do so. And I once again request that you cease referring to me as 'Yggy'. I have informed you in the past that not only is this not my proper designation, but it is not actually a word in any of the eight major languages of the Empire, nor any of the languages we have recently assimilated from the Time/Space Administration."** The computerized voice stated.

"Hee, hee! Never change, Yggy."

" **Unacceptable. This unit is designed specifically to learn from experience in order to avoid repeating previous errors and miscalculations and to be able to continue efficiently managing a constantly changing population. The ability to change is an essential part of my program.** "

"Susanoo. Please stop arguing with the computer. It is extremely tedious." The Twilight Queen said in a weary voice.

"But Lil…"

"You're not supposed to call me by my name at all, much less my childhood nickname!" the Twilight Queen protested. "It's protocol! 'Your majesty', 'Twilight Queen', even 'Queenie' is… slightly… more appropriate."

"But I like calling you 'Lil'. It's pretty."

"… Fine. How about just my first name then?"

"But 'Enlil' is so long…"

"It's _one syllable more!_ " Enlil protested. The problem, she mused, with having guardians that didn't age, was that it was extremely hard to make someone who'd known you when you were in diapers actually stand on ceremony around you in private. Particularly when he was a damned idiot. Fortunately, Tsukuyomi was able to pick up on her queen's distress, and discreetly and elegantly elbowed her brother in the kidney.

"OUCH! I mean… um… of course, your majesty."

Enil sighed and rubbed her temples. "What's the point? You'll be calling me whatever you feel like by this time tomorrow anyway. I had an entire lifetime to break you of your bad habits and I couldn't manage it. Why would I succeed now? So go right ahead. Call me what you wish. Argue pointlessly with Yggdrasil. As long as you do your job, I don't care anymore."

"Hey, thanks! You always were one of the better rulers. Thanks for noticing that I obviously can't stop until Yggy agrees to call me by name and declare its undying respect for me. I have my pride, both as a warrior, and as a man!" Susanoo proclaimed, pointing grandly towards the horizon… or where the horizon would have been had they been outside.

"You will never succeed." Tsukuyomi stated mildly.

"I don't know about that. I have a lot of determination." Susanoo said.

" **I literally possess infinite patience. During the time you were inactive, I spent 25,000 years contemplating the nuances of a single carbon atom."**

"Perhaps, but I'm much larger than a carbon atom!"

Silence.

"It's logic!" He claimed.

"Just… just please go get some rest and repairs," Enlil said, motioning to a pair of crystals identical to the one that the unconscious Amaterasu was slumbering in. "A few hours ought to get you back to fighting strength."

"Your highness. Before we leave, I have one more detail to report." Tsukuyomi interjected.

"And that would be…?"

"Suijin, please show the image I asked you to save." Tsukuyomi stated. The device projected a small image; the four girls on their picnic. "Look at her, your majesty…"

The Twilight Queen's jaw dropped. "What the-?! But that's… oh. OH. That conniving … how could she keep this from me?!" she sputtered. "I swear, if this is one of her schemes…"

"What? Even Administration mages have to eat. What's odd there?" Susanoo asked.

"You… you really don't see it." The Queen asked in a tone of stunned disbelief.

"See what?"

"Really. You really don't."

"See _what?_ "

In a tone that indicated a severe headache, the Twilight Queen said, "Go to sleep, Susanoo."

"Okay!" Susanoo said cheerfully.

"Was this information relevant…?" Tsukuyomi asked once he had stepped into his regeneration crèche.

"I don't know if it's relevant, but I'm definitely angry I didn't already know it." Enlil said. "I'm going to go have a little chat with our guest…"

* * *

 

"Well, it's official." Yuuno Scrya said. "It's basically just a really big, interdimensional bus."

"… eh?" Nanoha said elegantly.

"Well, I can't use most of my normal study techniques on it. It absorbs search magic, probes, everything. But in spite of the alien design, I can recognize enough parts to know that, despite its size, it's just a teleportation device."

"Then they were telling the truth? They sure went to a lot of trouble for something so… basic." Fate said.

"Oh, it's not basic." Yuuno said with a grin. "In fact, this may be the greatest archaeological find of my career. Well, my former career, anyway."

"Very good," Chrono said solemnly. "We could get you some clean wood chips as a reward."

Yuuno smiled cheerfully, but just the slightest hint of malice shone through. "Good idea. When the Midchilda Academy of Science gives me my award for the single greatest discovery of our generation, ensuring my name will live on for centuries while you are forgotten, I can use the wood chips to make sort of a cushion for it."

Nanoha couldn't contain a slightly shocked giggle, and the other girls joined her. She hadn't been able to spend more than a few minutes in person with Yuuno over the last couple months. Apparently, being in charge of something had done him some good. Just a few months, and he already seemed a good deal more relaxed than she remembered.

On the other hand, they'd spoken over a comm channel just last week, and he hadn't seemed this relaxed then. He'd seemed more like he wasn't getting enough sleep. Vaguely, Nanoha wondered if it was still impressive if the reason he was so happy was that he was taking a _break_ from his job…

"Now, if we're done wasting time…" Chrono began.

"You started it."

"… perhaps you could tell us exactly _why_ this… thing is so very special?" he finished.

The five mages, after receiving Chief Scrya's transport feed, had made their way down to Tokyo to let the archaeologist/librarian get a look at exactly what all the fuss was about. This had been a fantastic pain because the gate was very, very deep underground and magic didn't work anywhere remotely nearby it (there had been some concern about Arf, but apparently the magic that animated her was passive enough that it wasn't stolen. She did claim to have a headache, though). And since this included the barriers for shunting non-mages slightly out of sync with them, dimension-wise, it meant they essentially had to go to the city limits of Tokyo, dig down, and work their way there on foot under the city through a series of catacombs that technically shouldn't have existed. Yuuno theorized that their powers allowed them to see through what was probably an illusionary field the gate created, and that where they saw caves, most people and sensor equipment would have seen solid and useless rock, not worth excavating.

He then admitted that he had no idea how such a mechanism would actually work, and he was in fact just guessing as to its nature, which had not filled the expedition with confidence. Luckily, they hadn't sprung any lethal traps as they made their way, which was always a plus.

The actual gate itself did not very closely resemble a gate. In fact, it looked more like a satellite dish than anything else, albeit one that was roughly the size of a small town. Most of the surface was covered in runes and magical symbols that even Yuuno admitted he'd never seen before, all of which were glowing and pulsing in time with the green gem that floated serenely and immovably above the main dish.

"Well, for starters, it is the most complex teleportation device I have _ever_ seen, and I can't see most of it. The majority of the mechanism is embedded in the bedrock, and I'm guessing it probably goes down quite a distance into the planet's crust; probably to draw in geothermal energy to augment the power supply. The glyphs are nothing I can translate, but the telepathic interface is partially accessible, so I was able to get a little bit of data. Despite the name, it's less of a 'Gate' and more of a giant, interdimensional version of one of those crane games. It sends a transmission beam to what it wants to teleport, breaks it down into energy, and then transmits them where it's supposed to go. You don't actually have to ever go near the 'gate' to be moved by it, and you don't go through anything; it reaches out, picks you up, and moves you." Yuuno explained. "And both its range and the size of the objects it can handle are just absurd. This isn't the sort of device you would use to transport a person from Earth to the _Asura_. This is the sort of mechanism you would use if you wanted to teleport _Japan_ to another _world_."

Chrono whistled in appreciation. "No wonder it needs all the power it can suck in. Teleportation on that scale must take ludicrous amounts of energy."

"Oh, it gets better. This magic is very hard to analyze because it keeps eating the spells I'm trying to analyze it with, but from what I can tell of the structure itself and the surrounding area… this dish is old. _Very_ old. Possibly predating the emergence of sentient life on this planet… or at least what was generally _thought_ to be the emergence of sentient life on this planet. At least two hundred _millennia_ , possibly more. And it _still works!"_ Yuuno said, sounding far more excited than he probably should have. "I'm willing to bet it was actually built on the surface a long time ago, probably before Japan was even an island, and then abandoned. All these tunnels were likely made by its own AI, teleporting rocks into the ocean and such to keep itself from being completely buried."

Nanoha raised an eyebrow. "How is it still functioning?"

Yuuno smiled like a kid in a candy store. "I have _no_ idea! Everything I know about magical artifacts suggests that the spells making it work and holding it together should have run out _long_ before now. I haven't a clue who or what could possibly enchant something so durably!"

Chrono walked up to the giant glowing contraption and laid a hand on it. "So ancient… we might very well be looking at an artifact from the first magical civilization _ever_. This really is incredible."

"I only wish I'd actually been one to actually find it. I'll be sure to give 'Tsukuyomi' proper credit for locating it in the book I'm most definitely writing about this dig," Yuuno agreed. "Now, for the bad news."

"Of course." Arf said. "It wouldn't be any fun without bad news."

"It's an incredibly powerful teleportation unit… that we can't do anything with, because of _that_." He said grimly, pointing at the green jewel floating above it, which had apparently tunneled itself all the way down through the streets to get there.

"Yeah… I was curious about that too. It does seem familiar…" Fate said.

"It should, for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, it's similar in a lot of ways to a Jewel Seed. Not as powerful, but definitely more controllable. It actually seems to have a device-level AI built into the dimensional matrix, and it's completely locked out all of the command functions to insure that only one user can access the Gate. It won't tell me who, and it's actually rather rude about it, but I think we can safely assume that the master would be whoever sent those two mages to plant it here."

Nanoha nodded in agreement. "Both of them had clearly been ordered by _someone_ not to talk about certain things with us, although they… well, they weren't very good at it. They're sort of flighty."

"Well, their master clearly knows his or her way around programming. This… Dimension Driver, right? It's completely locked me out of the gate's command routines. I could maybe break it if I had a full team and six months to work; but as things stand, I'm not able to access anything but the most basic of files. To make matters worse, it's giving the gate a steady stream of energy, probably to increase either its range or the mass it can transport."

Chrono's eyes widened. "I thought you said it could already move a small country?"

"Japan is not 'small', Chrono." Nanoha said offhandedly.

"I'm sorry. I thought you said it could already move a country that might look small to the casual observer, but is filled with more culture and spirit than a nation with ten times the land?" Chrono said.

"Better."

"It _can_." Yuuno said. "So apparently, someone wants to move something really, really, really huge… or something really, really, really far away… or both."

"Like what?" Chrono wondered. "My first thought was 'invasion fleet', but ships travelling through dimensional space are largely undetectable anyway and can already travel fast enough to manage most strategies I can think of. But what else would it be good for?"

"Honestly? My best guess would say its original purpose was economic or domestic, not military." Yuuno said. "You could use this thing to transport millions of tons of goods and supplies on a daily basis, and considering how durable it is, it would probably be cheaper in the long run to just build a network of them than it would be to maintain a fleet of supply ships. I guess if you really wanted something militaristic to do with it, you could move ground forces onto a planet past orbital defenses... but that could go really wrong, really fast."

Chrono nodded. "No matter how good the teleporter, it can still be jammed if there're magical wards at the landing site. Plus, you would need a perfectly accurate map of the enemy world to avoid materializing your invasion force in the heart of a storm cluster or inside solid objects."

Fate said, "I hate to say it, but is their goal really important?"

"Of course it is! We can't reason with them if we don't know what they want!" Nanoha said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"No, not really." Chrono admitted.

"Hey!"

"Nanoha, I know you disagree, but even if their goals are entirely benevolent, they still assaulted two Bureau mages and activated an unregistered lost Logia. Those are crimes, and our priority is arresting them. We can attempt to determine their purposes later."

"... All right, I guess you have a point..." Nanoha said doubtfully. "But..."

"It's okay." Fate said, patting her on the shoulder. "Nanoha wouldn't be Nanoha if she didn't try to save everyone she possibly could."

That brought a smile back to Nanoha's face.

"Um... should I go on?" Yuuno asked worriedly, looking at the two girls.

"Hmmm?"

"Well, you two seem so happy, and I don't want to spoil it, and..." Yuuno began.

Nanoha winced. "What's wrong? Something's wrong, isn't it?"

"Well, you see, beyond the similarities to the Jewel Seeds, there's another reason you should recognize that Driver. I asked you to pick it up for me last week."

That took the smile right off Nanoha's face.

"… what?!" Nanoha snapped. "That was… it _is!_ It's one of those little gems we took from those very uncooperative pirates! I thought they were put into storage…"

"The _Vishnu_ had a massive computer failure during its return cruise. No fatalities, but all ship computers were wiped clean and, among other things, the cargo hold was accidentally jettisoned into dimensional space. None of the contents could be recovered, and it was believed they fell into a subspace rift. At the time, we assumed the problem to be sabotage, given that one of the prisoners had somehow escaped from his cell and accessed a remote terminal… but now I'm beginning to think that while it _was_ sabotage, we've gotten the source very wrong." Chrono said.

"Ooooh, Chrono!" Nanoha said, sounding genuinely mad for the first time. "That was our case! An item we were supposed to have dealt with goes missing and you don't even tell us?! And then you yell at us for not asking for _your_ help!"

Chrono arched one eyebrow. "Like I said, we didn't know there was a real problem. Things that fall into subspace rifts generally never come out, and at the time we believed the case to be solved and the suspect in custody. I didn't ask for your assistance in the investigation because there was no real investigation to conduct."

"Chrono. Even if we couldn't have done anything to help, we still should have been informed when one of our own cases went wrong." Fate said.

"You may have a point. I just didn't see the need to worry you, that's all. I'm sorry." Chrono said earnestly.

"Well… all right. Apology accepted." Nanoha said. Not that there had ever been any real doubt it would be, of course, but her saying it definitely cleared the tension.

"You say all the computers were wiped clean?" Arf said.

"Yes. Navigation, logs, tactical, everything was a blank slate. Some of that software was incredibly complex, too. It'll take the better part of a month to reload everything."

"Then it wasn't those doofuses we beat up the other day." Arf said. "They couldn't have hacked a shoe. An ancient, super-advanced magical civilization, now…"

"That would explain how people from a 200,000 year old civilization spoke the local languages, too. They stole all of our language files and translation software." Chrono agreed.

"If that's the case, they can activate a maximum of four more of these gates." Yuuno said. "There were only five Drivers recovered from the pirate's base, right Nanoha?"

"I only remember five, yes." She said, nodding once.

"The problem is we don't know where the other gates are. It's likely they're buried and dormant, like this one was," Chrono pointed out.

"Well, we can assume that they aren't on Earth, or anywhere near it. This single gate has enormous range, and it could easily cover pretty much any world within a week's travel from here on the _Asura._ " Yuuno offered.

"Well, it's good that they won't be causing more trouble here… I don't think we want any more strange green explosions of light on the news. But that does mean that we won't know where to look until those mages make another incursion from wherever they're hiding." Nanoha said.

"It… it shouldn't be too hard to track with the _Asura's_ sensors, I'd think. It looked more like some kind of spatial tear, not normal teleportation; I've never seen anything like it before, personally. Bardiche should still have the readings, and they ought to be fairly unique, hopefully." Fate ventured.

Chrono shrugged. "Sounds like as good a plan as any I could come up with. I'm going to return to the _Asura_ and set up a search program."

"Could you use an extra set of hands? I'm pretty good with that sort of thing." Yuuno offered.

"Hmm? I expected you'd want to be down here for the rest of the month poking things."

"This is interesting, I'll admit. But it's been here for a long time, so I doubt it's going anywhere anytime soon. Besides, it will screw up our communications quite a bit, and if you need me for something in a hurry I'd prefer to be somewhere I can actually be contacted."

"Well, then, you can… actually, no. Now that I think about it, I think we should probably interrogate the pirates that stole the Drivers in the first place. Where they got them from, any symbols or clues that were on the container, that sort of thing. You'd know what to ask thing better than me."

"… … … … you want me to interrogate criminals? They're not going to be intimidated by a ten year old librarian, and they _really_ won't be intimidated by a ferret." Yuuno said doubtfully.

"Take Arf with you. She's scary." Fate offered.

"Ooooh, I get to sweat the perps! It's just like TV!" Arf said delightedly.

"Nanoha, Fate, you might as well resume your daily lives until we get a hit. The _Asura_ will be holding in Earth orbit until we get a better lead, and Amy will contact you when you're needed. If you have any concerns or problems, you know where to reach us. But stay alert… we could need to pull you on a moment's notice."

Nanoha sighed. "Now, I just have to explain this to my family. It could be tricky…"

**_Twenty minutes later…_ **

"So," Shirou Takamachi said, "Shinto gods have come from the past to activate a bunch of magic teleporters so they can invade the Earth. And you and Fate are going to fight them with your friends the shape-shifting ferret who used to live in our house, Fate's dog, and the spaceship captain. So I need to be ready with an excuse in case you miss some school. Is that the gist of it?"

"Well… that's maybe a little oversimplified, but… basically, yes." Nanoha said.

"… … … you know, honey, I respect how responsible and independent you've become with this mage job, and I'm glad that you love it so much… but I really kind of hate that this sort of thing no longer sounds strange to me." Shirou said sadly.

"Yeah, Arisa had a similar reaction." Nanoha said, patting him on the back comfortingly. "But on the bright side, explaining these situations to you has become a lot easier."

* * *

 

The Twilight Queen walked… well, more like _marched…_ to the guest wing of the palace.

"I honestly cannot believe that woman. She can learn our language in _three months,_ master our most advanced systems in a matter of hours, and all after waking up from a _coma…_ but she cannot figure out that _intelligence should be shared?!_ No… no it's not that she can't figure it out. She does it just to spite me. This is hardly the first time she's withheld something; told me only half of what I ought to know, or done half the work she's actually capable of. She has as much to gain from this as we do, but she still wastes time and energy going out of her way to let me know how much she hates me. You've seen the way she looks at me, haven't you? It's not as though I've never been disliked, but at least in the past it's typically been for something I actually _did._ "

" **Your majesty, with all due respect, even our current slender chance for a successful restoration is owed to her. Her arrival was what shocked my system back into activity, and both the portals you use to pierce the void and the plan to utilize the Gates are based on her research. I understand you have… personal issues with our guest, but..."**

"It's hard to be delicate when the person you're dealing with has nothing but loathing for you." Enlil said dryly. "But yes, I understand how valuable her mind is, and as long as she continues to hold up her end of the bargain, I have no reason to throw her out into the void to rot. No matter how charming that thought might be."

Finally finding the door she sought, Enlil slammed it open without knocking. "We need to talk."

The room was sparsely appointed; merely a small bed, a desk, and a computer terminal. That was appropriate, since the woman who lived in it spent most of her time in the library or one of the labs and only used this particular room when she wished to sleep or when she was ordered to do so. Nobody quite trusted her outside of it, after all, least of all the computer that could shut down her research at will if she didn't do as she was told. The woman in question raised her head from the terminal and brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. Her device, a golden staff with a purple gemstone, sat leaning against the desk... she refused to put it into standby mode. Apparently, she didn't trust her hostess. Considering she and her hostess shared a mutual distaste for each other, that was probably wise.

She was scowling, of course. But then, the Twilight Queen didn't think the woman had smiled even once since she'd first arrived a year ago… closer to dead than alive, wrapped in failing protection spells, and with only a corpse for company.

"What," Precia Testarossa asked irritably, "do _you_ want?"


	6. Civilized Discussion

Enlil's eyes narrowed.

She said, "I put up with a great deal from you that I wouldn't tolerate from others. I do this because you are very useful, and technically speaking you are not one of my subjects."

"How wonderful for you. Leave." Precia said.

" _However_. I do have my limits, Miss Testarossa. And while I may not be your queen, you are still living in my home. So please, do us both a favor and tell me: what is the meaning of this?!" She continued, holding up her hand to display a projection of the four girls at their picnic.

Precia didn't even glance at the image, instead turning back to her terminal. "I see nothing particularly interesting."

Enlil fought down the urge to throttle the woman. " _Look more closely._ " She growled.

Precia, seemingly catching the shift in tone, turned back to glance at the image… and let out a single sharp laugh of disbelief. "HA! That's what this is about? I have a small university worth of data to analyze from the first gate to make sure we've successfully programmed that overpowered monstrosity to do something it was never _intended_ to do, and the search program we have running has been nagging me to check it for the last hour. And in spite of this, you drag me away from my work to talk about… that?" Precia asked, her eyes filled with disdain and focused on the blonde pigtailed girl. "As I said before: _nothing particularly interesting._ "

"Oh, really? I just saw this young lady, and thought she was _extremely_ interesting. Rather pretty, isn't she? She reminds me of my own daughter… no, wait, that's not quite true. She reminds me of… hmmm… _someone,_ certainly. Someone's daughter…" Enlil rolled her eyes at her own irreverent tone and the absurdity of the situation in general. "Honestly, Precia, it's as though you've genuinely forgotten that I have a fairly good grasp of _what your daughter looks like._ And now a girl identical to _your child_ in _every way_ , and allied with the Bureau, attacked my guardians while they were activating the first Gate. And yet it somehow slipped your mind to mention that this girl existed?"

Precia's gaze looked, if anything, colder than usual. "I thought she was dead, although I suppose that was just wishful thinking. In any event, I cut off all ties with her… _it…_ a long time ago. It's nothing to me but a failed experiment."

"Of course it is," Enlil said, smiling sweetly. "Just like the flaws in the equations for the portal ritual you gave me… you know, the ones that would have left me comatose for a month if I hadn't corrected them before casting the spell?... were included _completely_ by accident. Just like your failure to mention that the TSAB had a presence on Earth was a simple _oversight._ Precia, I've put up with your spiteful, vindictive nature for the simple reason that you are valuable. But you seem to have confused 'valuable' for 'indispensible'. You see, an indispensable thing cannot, as the word suggests, be disposed of _._ But a valuable thing _most definitely can_." Enlil finished, using the same tone she'd once taken when ordering criminals put to death.

 _Presence on_ … Precia thought. Then she remembered the image again, and thought about one of the other girls that appeared in the small picture. _Ahhh, that little brat who ruined the hunt for the Jewel Seeds. I suppose if Fate escaped from the Garden before it collapsed, it only makes sense that she would have too._ Precia vaguely wondered if she might be in trouble here. Enlil was most likely completely serious about having her put to death, and Precia had only actually _done_ one of the things she was being accused of… and really, the flaws in the portal spell had been a minor inconvenience at best. She had not, she admitted to herself, had any real reason to do it other than the fact that she wished, very much, to kill Enlil, but could not do so.

It wasn't a matter of power. Enlil _was_ obscenely powerful; vastly more so than any mage should have been, but that wasn't the problem. No, the actual _problem_ was that Precia had finally found everything she'd ever wanted, only to discover there were some fairly huge strings attached.

She hadn't meant to come to this world. She'd fully expected to die when she'd fallen from the Garden of Time. Yet destiny had guided her here, sparing her life by the slimmest of margins (she'd been informed that, upon her arrival, she'd actually been declared 'deceased' by the automated systems that had found her. Margins didn't get much slimmer than that). And what she'd found was, while hardly the golden miracles she would have preferred, more than adequate.

The technology here… the very fact that she was alive and no longer coughing up blood stood as testament to the fact that this dead civilization was technologically superior to current governments in every conceivable way, including medical technology. And nearly all of it was _intact._ Nothing _alive,_ but the machines were, for the most part, either in working condition or at least reparable. Precia wasn't certain how, but assumed it had something to do with a combination of really, really good engineering and the fact that time and the laws of physics seemed to work differently in this void dimension, _especially_ outside the few shielded structures that could maintain life. With her own research and the secrets waiting to be unlocked here, Precia had every reason to believe that a perfect human resurrection was a possibility.

Unfortunately, the only reason she had lived long enough to realize this was that someone had dragged her out of the hideously inhospitable outdoors before her defenses failed, and taken her into one of those shielded structures to have her dying body pieced back together. Normally, this would have been a _good_ thing, but the 'someone' in this instance had proven herself to be a demonically frustrating obstacle.

Enlil was an intelligent woman, and even before they'd managed to overcome the language barrier, it had not taken her terribly long to piece together the fact that Precia wouldn't have been travelling with a dead girl for fun. Unfortunately, she was also enormously powerful and had complete administrative rights to the supercomputer that governed the majority of the technology on the planet. This meant that while restoring Alicia may have been _possible_ , it would not be done without her express consent. And to exacerbate matters, Enlil had taken some very devious steps to ensure that such a resurrection would _not_ be taking place over her dead body, either. She'd _claimed_ that it had not been done intentionally, but she was also, Precia noted, not particularly unhappy with it. And even in the unlikely chance that she was being sincere, it did not change the fact that Precia would not see her daughter alive again without Enlil's permission. And that permission would not be granted unless Precia offered her expert assistance on several… small matters.

It was, in a way, worse than death. Her daughter, the one light in her life, had been turned into a chain to bind her into servitude. She was torn between equal parts rage and desperation. On the one hand, Precia _needed_ Enlil to succeed; desperately needed this one last shot at restoring the only person she'd ever really cared about. But on the other hand, she truly, deeply _loathed_ the other woman more than she'd ever hated anyone before in her life, and she was not the sort of woman to disguise an emotion like that. She'd been reduced to throwing minor spanners in the works; withholding information she wasn't specifically asked for, putting minor flaws into spells she was asked to devise. Nothing that would truly derail Enlil's schemes, but just enough to get across the simple point: _I hate you._

It was, frankly, humiliating; little better than schoolchildren playing pranks. But it was the only way she had to rebel in even the most minor of fashions. Now that she was in danger of dying, she wasn't sure if she wished she hadn't done any of it, or had done something _worse_ so she would actually deserve her punishment. In either event, she couldn't afford to die just yet, so perhaps it was time to mend fences.

"I have been here for a year, correct? During that time, you have kept me under constant surveillance. While it's not impossible that I could have figured out some way to manage a communication to Fate, when could I have done so without getting caught?" Precia said.

Enlil shrugged. "You couldn't have."

"Wh-"

"I worked that out for myself awhile ago. You couldn't have planned something like this without getting caught. I know this was nothing you did, at least on purpose."

Precia fought to keep from strangling the girl. "Then _why_ did you come down here acting as though I betrayed you and threatening my life?!"

Enlil's eyes got very cold. "Because I was _angry_ , Precia. Had I known about 'Fate' or the TSAB's presence on Earth, it would have greatly altered the course of this operation. But I didn't, and now the TSAB is aware of our movements long before I planned. Both of our goals have been placed in jeopardy because of you withholding information. I think a small scare is better than you deserve, frankly, but you haven't _quite_ managed to outlive your usefulness"

Enlil turned to leave, saying as she did, "Continue to examine that data. Unless I'm mistaken, the search program's 'nagging' means it's found another intact Gate, so I'd like you to make sure the reprogramming worked properly on the first one before we activate any others. Oh, and Precia? We long ago reached the point where you need me more than I need you, so please… would you stop these childish acts of rebellion and just keep your half of the bargain? Otherwise, I may genuinely have to do something horrible to you."

Precia sat in silence, watching as the door closed behind her. The room was silent for several minutes except for the slow drip… drip… drip… of blood falling from Precia's hands. She had clenched her fists so hard that her fingernails pierced the skin of her palms.

And at the moment, she was so furious she didn't even notice.

She was so, _so_ sick of this. Precia Testarossa was nobody's pawn. She was not some puppet to be made to dance for that insufferable brat's amusement. For the moment, she needed Enlil, but the thing about moments was that they didn't last terribly long. And when this one ended…

_Watch your back, 'your majesty'._

* * *

 

"So, who are you going to be bringing home this time?" Arisa asked dryly.

A day had passed since the 'incident' at Tokyo tower, and although the news was still abuzz with people wondering why, exactly, the Tower had started glowing and then stopped, in general people had started to accept that the world wasn't ending. Yet.

And of course, school. Nanoha had heard that in some places, when strange phenomena stuck national monuments, kids got a day off from school. In Japan, they didn't even get to sleep in. They did get a lunch break, and they were in fact on it now, but since that happened every day it wasn't really anything to get excited about.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Nanoha asked indignantly.

"Well, first it was Fate and Miss Arf. Then it was the angry little girl with the hammer and her friends. Every time you have a big case, you end up introducing us to at least a few new people. So who do you think they'll be this time? Any ideas?" Arisa asked.

"Actually, _I_ introduced us to Hayate." Suzuka pointed out.

"True, but you didn't beat up her friends. That was Nanoha."

"… well, I wouldhave at least _tried_ to beat up her friends if I'd known that would help." Suzuka said defensively.

"I don't… I don't fight all the people I make friends with…" Nanoha said. Then she thought for a second. "… do I?"

"Well… not _all_ of them. But most." Fate said teasingly.

"I never fought Yuuno or Chrono! And there's a lot of people on the _Asura,_ and miss Lindy, and…" Nanoha said in a mild panic.

"Nanoha! Nanoha, we're just kidding." Suzuka said with a reassuring smile.

"We are?" Arisa whispered to Fate.

"Not really, but we should probably stop pointing it out." Fate whispered back conspiratorially.

"That's… that's right. I'm not violent, I'm a nice girl…" Nanoha said soothingly to herself.

"The first time we ever spoke to each other, you slapped me, right?" Arisa asked.

"… … I'm a monster!"

Fate put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Nanoha. Your approach may be… novel. But it works. I'm living proof. When I think about what my life would be like if I hadn't met you… I can't, because I wouldn't _have_ a life anymore if I hadn't met you."

"… then I'm a good girl?"

"Yes, sweetie. You're a very good girl." Fate said, smiling warmly.

"… F-Fate…" Nanoha said, genuinely touched.

"We could start selling tickets." Arisa said. "Combat Therapy. Nanoha will smack you around for five minutes, and then all your problems will just solve themselves."

"It's not that simple, Arisa. She also asks what you're trying to do, and then she offers to be your friend." Fate said demurely.

"… and now you're making fun of me again!" Nanoha protested.

"Only a little." Fate said mischievously.

"But you never answered Arisa's question, Nanoha," Suzuka pointed out. "While the way she phrased it was sort of stupid…"

"HEY!"

"… I really am curious. What were they like?" Suzuka finished.

"Well, you met them. They're… weird." Nanoha said.

"Weird is a good word." Fate agreed.

"They… well, it's like this. When I first met Fate, she seemed so sad it just made my heart hurt. I just wanted to know why such a pretty girl was so sad and see if I could make her smile."

"Nanoha…" Fate said softly, smiling in spite of looking on the verge of tears.

"And Vita just seemed… desperate. Like her mission was the only thing that mattered, and the world would be over if she couldn't do it. She seemed like she was in so much trouble that I couldn't resist trying to help her." Nanoha said. "But Tsukuyomi… I didn't feel _anything_ from her. It was like she was a doll. There was no emotion at all. It's like… she doesn't even really care about what she'd doing. She was told to do it, and she doesn't really have any reason not to, but she herself doesn't seem to care that much at all _._ I… I don't know how to reach someone like that."

"Then what are you going to do?"

Nanoha shrugged. "Keep trying. She didn't seem like a _bad_ girl. In her own… unique… way, she actually seemed like she was trying not to hurt me. I'm not saying that she can't be reasoned with, just that I haven't figured out how to do it yet."

"Fate? What about the boy?" Arisa asked, now interested in spite of herself.

Fate thought about it for a moment. "Well, he was definitely overbearing, and sort of abrasive. But he was also well… friendly. He kept complimenting me and giving me advice; at times it was almost more like we were playing a game than fighting with each other. And when I got hurt, instead of pressing his advantage, he basically refused to keep fighting. I never really got the feeling 'this boy is a bad person'."

Arisa and Suzuka thought about this for a few seconds.

"Yup." Arisa said dryly. "They're bringing home two more strays."

"Arisa, please don't make it sound like we're running a puppy farm…" Nanoha begged.

* * *

 

Of course, there were worse places to be than school, and more annoying people to be with than Arisa. Not that Arisa was annoying, and anybody who said she was would likely get kicked. Yuuno would certainly never say she was, and in fact wished he was eating lunch with her, as opposed to where he actually was.

"Captain… Tarra, isn't it? My name is Yuuno Scrya, and this is my associate, Arf. I believe we've spoken before." Yuuno said, sitting next to Arf in the interrogation room in the TSAB holding facility. It wasn't one of those amazing prisons that have names like 'The Cage' or the 'The Rock', just an ordinary jail for criminals who weren't worth anything special. If it had a nickname, it would be something like 'That Place down the Road' or 'That Prison That's Close to the Restaurant with the Good Soup'.

"You, I remember." The large pirate replied. He then put on what he probably imagined to be a charming smile but which came across as a _leer_ at best. "Haven't met her, though. Gives 'foxy' a whole new meaning…"

Arf rolled her eyes. "Are you always this greasy, or putting forth a special effort just for me? Besides, we _have_ met."

"Really? I think I'd remember _you_ …"

"Not really. You were unconscious at the time. As I recall, you'd just gotten completely dominated in single combat by a ten-year-old girl." Arf said wickedly.

Tarra's smile faded. "You were with _her_. The little kid in white."

"Bingo."

"Now, Captain. You are, currently, the only person we know for sure was present during both the initial retrieval of the Dimension Drivers and the incident aboard the _Vishnu._ We are, of course, planning to interview all members of both crews in due time, but for now, we plan to start with you telling us everything you can remember about the ruins you stole those gems from, and anything we don't already know about the sabotage of the _Vishnu's_ computer systems."

"Uh-huh. Well, you can just go to Hell." Captain Tarra said conversationally. "Considering that you called down the raid that destroyed my ship and got me locked up in here, and she was _part_ of it, I'm sorta thinking that I hate you both."

Yuuno sighed. "I don't suppose it would help to say that cooperation would get you some leniency in your sentencing?"

"Unless you're offerin' me a full pardon and a new ship, then nope, I'm thinking I'd rather be in prison than make you happy."

"Ah. Well, then, Arf, you're up." Yuuno said.

"Just a hint? If you're gonna play good cop-bad cop, then the 'bad' cop has to be a bit more intimidating." Tarra advised with a smirk.

Arf smiled in a manner that raised the temperature in the room by ten degrees and stretched, showing off her impressive physique. She then stood up and sat down on the edge of the table near Tarra, close enough that he could see everything that wasn't covered. Which, considering her wardrobe, was more than enough to make his eyes widen. And Yuuno's, for that matter… they had rehearsed this, at Arf's insistence (she had worked out the entire interrogation in her head, and she swore that this part would be _really_ funny when they were looking back on this later), but seeing it actually play out was still sort of shocking.

"That's kind of mean." She pouted. "I mean, maybe I'm the good cop?"

"Oh. Oooooh. Okay, maybe you guys aren't stupid after all. Tell you what, give me an hour alone with her, maybe I will talk." Tarra said in tone somewhere between lecherous and stunned.

Yuuno winced. "An hour? An hour. Ouch. Just remember: you asked for it." He said, standing up and leaving the room. _Poor guy…_ Yuuno thought.

"Now this is more like it." The pirate said with a positively evil grin.

"I agree completely, big guy." Arf purred. "Oh, and by the way? I _am_ the bad cop."

Tarra wasn't exactly sure what happened next. One second he was facing a very attractive young lady, the next he went down in a rush of fur and fangs. All he knew for sure was that when he opened his eyes, he found himself face to face with an enormous, drooling beast, its mouthful of extremely sharp teeth poised to rip his throat out.

"Now **_TALK!"_** Arf snarled. In her mind, she was thinking _Yes! Yes! First I was all 'Femme Fatale' and then **boom**! I turn the whole thing around! That went totally great! He is **so** scared! _But she had the presence of mind to keep this thought to herself, and the fact that she was smiling translated, on her canine face, to the fact that her mouthful of very large, sharp teeth were showing much more clearly.

Outside the room, Yuuno heard the man scream, " _I'll talk, I'll talk! Please, God, I'll talk_!"

Smiling slightly, Yuuno opened the door and poked his head back in. "Are you sure? Because it hasn't been an hour yet."

" _Please don't let her kill me!_ "

"I'll see what I can do."

* * *

 

Tsukuyomi opened her eyes. She blinked, exactly twice. Then, detecting a certain level of stiffness in her muscles, she chose to stretch. It helped. Closing her eyes, again, she focused her mind inward. _Core stability confirmed, repairs complete. All combat functions are at 100% efficiency._

Satisfied that the damage she'd suffered was completely repaired, she lifted her pendant to her lips. "Suijin, are you prepared for battle?"

" **All systems ready, milady."**

"Excellent. Restoration System, please deactivate. I am fully repaired." The hollow, opaque black crystal she was hovering within faded out of existence, and she floated serenely down to the floor. "Older brother, are your repairs complete?" she asked one of the other two crystals floating in the small chamber.

Silence.

Tsukuyomi tilted her head to one side.

Silence.

She rapped lightly on the side of the gem.

Silence.

"Wake up, older brother." She said.

Silence.

She raised her hand, a silver-blue star appearing around her outstretched arm. The crystal disappeared as she forced deactivation externally, sending Susanoo tumbling unceremoniously to the floor.

"Ulf! Wh-what the…?! TSUKU! What the Hell?!" He snapped.

"It's time to wake up." Tsukuyomi said mildly.

"That's no way to wake up your brother, Tsukuyomi! That's no way to wake him up at all!" Susanoo said.

"But… I had to make sure you woke up…" Tsukuyomi said. "It's not good to sleep for a long time…"

"You might have tried saying 'wake up!'"

"I did…"

"Then speak up! Geez, I know it's not your fault, but you're worse than that Testarossa girl!"

"I'm sorry. I'll try to be more loud and frantic like you." Tsukuyomi said in an utterly serene tone.

"GAH! That's mean, Tsukuyomi, calling me an annoying jerk who you wish wasn't your brother! That's really mean!"

"I didn't say that…"

"You said it with your eyes!"

Tsukuyomi looked confused. "My eyes cannot speak. They don't even have mouths…"

"Hated by my own baby sister! I've never been so sad!" Susanoo proclaimed. Tears began to well up in his eyes, presumably from the sadness.

" **Lightning Unit, Ocean Unit, please report to the royal assembly hall for your mission briefing. The next gate scheduled for activation has been determined."** Yggdrasil's automated voice intoned.

"Oooh, that was quick! Okay Tsuku, mission time! Come on!" Susanoo said, his sadness instantly forgotten. He sprinted towards this new diversion, dragging his sister behind him.

* * *

 

"I can't believe you _bit_ him." Yuuno said as he and Arf sat in their jail cell awaiting processing.

"He asked me to!" Arf protested, once again a girl.

"When someone says 'bite me', they're not literally asking you to bite them!"

"Well, how was I supposed to know he was kidding?"

"You know, we're technically guilty of a crime now. I'm an accomplice to you torturing a prisoner. We're going to be in here for years." Yuuno said dully.

"Oh, I barely even broke the skin. He was completely fixed five minutes after it happened. At most we'll get a fine." Arf said jovially. "You've got money, right? Big time Bureau record-master?"

Yuuno laughed bitterly. "Sure. Because librarians are known for their great salaries."

"… Yuuno, I've been meaning to ask, since you seemed so happy to be in the field. Do you even like your job?"

"Of course I do. Searching through ancient texts and artifacts is my passion. Research has always been my first love." Yuuno said.

"Buuuut…"

"… but whoever ran the Infinity Library before me was a complete and total moron!" Yuuno snapped. "How hard is it to organize a library?! You divide the texts into groups by subject, and then arrange them within subject groups by the author's name! We're talking about putting books in alphabetical order, not advanced physics. A toddler could manage it! But instead, my illustrious predecessor decided to use the far less efficient 'throw everything onto the shelves at random' system! Did you know I haven't gotten any real work done in the last six months? Not a shred of research. I have spent _six months_ just trying to get that bottomless pit turned into something resembling a usable database. My entire staff… which, by the way, is only _five people…_ has been working double shifts and we're barely ten percent finished. And that's probably being generous!"

"Sounds rough." Arf said consolingly.

"When they called me to come here? Help out with this case? I thought I was dreaming at first. I'd fallen asleep at my desk, and the thought of finally having something important enough to justify taking a break… it seemed too good to be true." Yuuno said wistfully.

"That's harsh, buddy." Arf said, patting him on the shoulder.

"And then this idiot. This pirate. I just can't understand him. He takes his pack of… of _animals_ to a dig site older than his entire _culture._ There, completely by accident, he uncovers a sealed, even _older_ chamber underneath the existing ruins. And upon seeing this priceless historical treasure, this possible key to the secrets of the past, what does he do? _Rob it_. He sees the cultural heritage of a lost people as a source of _profit._ Not knowledge. Not self-improvement. Just a quick source of cash."

"Some people are just jerks." Arf said supportively.

"I… I hate him. I hate that guy! Yeah, I really hate him!" Yuuno said suddenly. "I've never really _hated_ anyone before, but I think this is what it feels like!"

"Good for you! Let it all out!" Arf encouraged him.

"In fact, I'm _glad_ you bit him! It's worth the punishment!" Yuuno said proudly. "Arf, I think we've struck a blow for scholars everywhere."

"That's absolutely what I was thinking about when I bit him. I thought 'biting this guy will help science'." Arf said serenely.

"You're a good person, Arf." Yuuno said.

The two companions fell into silence for several minutes. It was Arf who finally broke it.

"Chrono is going to be _pissed,_ isn't he?" She said.

"Yes." Yuuno agreed.

**_Thirty minutes later…_ **

"I can't believe you _bit_ him!" Chrono said, pissed. "You know that's a crime, right?! You're both criminals now!"

"People keep saying that, but he really did ask me to bite him!" Arf whined. All suspects got to make a single communication, and as their case was somewhat special, Arf and Yuuno were being permitted to make their obligatory one communiqué together. The two of them sat together in the prison's message center, speaking over the small monitor to Chrono on the _Asura_. "Yuuno, you heard him! He asked me, right?"

"He… he technically did…" Yuuno admitted.

"See? Yuuno wouldn't lie. He's a good boy." Arf said, patting him on the head.

"He's an _accomplice._ " Chrono said darkly. "Now, did you two actually learn anything valuable, or did you just terrorize thugs?" Chrono asked in a long-suffering tone.

"We actually _did_ find out a few things. Before Mr. Tarra and Arf had their… disagreement… I got him to sketch a few of the symbols he saw in the chamber where he found the Logia. I guess he used to go to the Academy, so he actually had a pretty good memory for glyphs and sigils, and they were accurate enough that I can legitimately say that the Gate and the Drivers were made by the same culture. In addition, he claims that he left behind a few units that appeared to be inactive, so I'd like you to send a team to collect them from the dig site, along with anything else they could find. Maybe the broken units could give us some clues about the active ones, and maybe the other artifacts could give me some hint as to the nature of their culture. If we know what we're fighting, we might be able to think of some countermeasures or even open negotiations."

"Reasonable." Chrono agreed.

"Also, is there some way that you can change that guy's sentencing to have him sent to jail _forever_? Archaeologists across known reality would revere you." Yuuno stated.

"Yuuno, that would be illegal. You see, there's this thing called 'a court system', and it gets to decide how long people go to prison. If I just ignore it, then they can send _me_ to jail." Chrono said soothingly.

"Are you sure?" Yuuno said.

"Yes."

"Can you do it anyway?"

"No, Yuuno."

"Oh. Well." Yuuno said, sounding disappointed. "Could you at least get us out of here, then?"

"Maybe. I've had Amy look up some data on your situation, in between her fits of giggling, and it seems there's a loophole in the laws that we should be able to exploit. Since Arf isn't _your_ familiar and since she committed the crime while in animal form, it seems she can technically be considered a 'pet' for purposes of this case."

Arf's face fell. "A _pet_?!"

"Don't complain. Torturing a prisoner is notably worse than letting a rambunctious pet bite somebody. You may not like it, but I just got your sentence _sharply_ reduced. If Yuuno just pleads guilty to irresponsible pet ownership right now, you'll just have to fill out some paperwork, pay a small fine, and Arf will have to take a mandatory three weeks of obedience training. You'll be free by the end of the day."

"… … … I have to go to _dog school_?" Arf said in some cross between disgust and disbelief.

"In any event, call me back when you're ready to check out. I'd prefer you both back on the _Asura_ ASAP."

"I… I really have to take dog classes? You're serious?" Arf said.

"I'll say hello to Fate for you, Arf." Chrono said.

"Chrono, wait! You were just joking about the obedience school, right?!" Arf asked desperately.

"Sorry, can't hear you, transmission must be faulty." Chrono said through the perfectly clear transmission. He shut down the monitor, doing his best to ignore Arf's worried expression.

"… Yuuno?"

"Yes, Arf?"

"I don't think I really like interrogating criminals after all."

"Don't be too hard on yourself. You were doing a really good job until you bit that guy." Yuuno said consolingly.

" _He asked me to!_ "

* * *

 

"Amy?" Chrono asked, once the screen had gone dark.

"Yes, Chrono?"

"How did mother put up with this? Were these people always this bad, or do they just break out their worst for me?" Chrono asked.

"Chrono, I… actually, you know, I think we _are_ worse for you." Amy said. "It's just funny to see your reactions. Admiral Lindy was so easy-going and you… well, aren't."

"I didn't actually need an answer to that, Amy. It was meant to be rhetorical." Chrono said sadly.

"Oh. Um… sorry?"

"Don't worry about it. If that's the worst thing that happens to me today, I'll be a happy man." Chrono sighed.

The very _instant_ he said 'man', the _Asura's_ alarm began to blare.

"Dimensional disturbance located!" Amy said, turning back to her console. "Tracking… Chrono, the incursion is exactly the same as the readings Fate gave us. It's them." Amy said grimly.

"… I'm not happy, Amy." Chrono said.


	7. Machinations

The room was dark, and humid, and reeked of chemical preservatives. Were it not for the lack of bodies, mistaking it for a morgue would have been simple indeed. And indeed, the only beings who frequented this particular chamber were not exactly what one would call 'alive'.

But they weren't quite dead yet, either, as the speaking... well, it was difficult to call it 'speaking', but words were certainly exchanged... indicated.

_A sensor net has detected the readings from Captain Harlaown's report, and a reconnaissance unit has confirmed their location._

_Another incursion has begun._

_Has the_ Asura _engaged yet?_

_No, but it is only a matter of time._

_The technology displayed by the intruders is interesting. If we allow Harlaown to take them in through official channels, it will be sealed for years before anyone finds a use for it._

_In most cases, Lost Logia are too dangerous to be used immediately, but this is a unique case. Thus far, the intruders have not demonstrated any technology that we could not control. With a few hours of study, we could advance our capabilities by a century or more._

_The benefits are obvious and potentially tremendous. To allow them to be missed due to protocol and regulations would be unwise._

_We are agreed, then, that we must take these two in ourselves?_

_Yes._

_Of course. All that remains is a question of how best to do so._

_Is the Doctor available for an assignment? This seems the sort of task he would relish._

_No. He claims that the finishing touches on the newest units will take him at least three months, and has preemptively refused all order requests during that time._

_We give him too much free will. He needs to remember that he is still a servant of this institution._

_He's a scientist. If he didn't have free reign to pursue his whims, he wouldn't be nearly so effective. And we have other resources._

_Section Black?_

_Acceptable. Their orders are to capture the two hostiles alive if possible. If not, then at the very least any and all technology in their possession is to be confiscated intact._

_The_ Asura _is likely to react to this incursion before our operatives arrive. Ensure that the team silences all witnesses, and make certain that no transmissions reach the ship itself once they have engaged the targets._

 _And what if the_ Asura' _s prime enforcers are among those at the site? Takamachi and Testarossa are valuable combat resources in their own right. Would it be wise to simply dispose of them?_

_It does seem rather wasteful, admittedly. But Section Black can potentially be traced back to the Doctor. There must be no sign of a connection between that man and this institution._

_Agreed._

_… … … very well, then. In the end, the gains from this mission will outstrip the losses several times over._

_Takamachi and Testarossa will be a regrettable, but necessary, sacrifice._

Five minutes after this conversation took place, an unassuming person in an unassuming office received a call. He listened to the seemingly random string of numbers and letters intently, stopping only occasionally to replay some portion of the message he had missed. When he had finished, he deleted the message in its entirety, and placed a call of his own. Another rather plain, bland looking young man appeared on his screen. The man in the office didn't say anything terribly interesting to the man on the screen. Just, "We need to get something here, and we're already a step behind." and then he listed out some numbers of his own. They were…

* * *

 

"Dimensional coordinates 1174382001." Amy said.

"What can you tell me?" Chrono asked tersely.

"It looks like we lucked out this time, Chrono… they arrived inside a secured zone. There was already a passive sensor grid in place to prevent intrusions." Amy said. "Even better, the world is uninhabited. Because there're some signs that an advanced civilization once resided there... in particular, several C- and D-class Lost Logia have been found scattered across the planetary surface… the planet has been declared an Off-Limits zone except to authorized Bureau personnel." Amy said, reading the file. "Which, frankly, is okay, because…"

"…this place is a _dump!_ " Susanoo said. He poked a big gray pile of something that might have once been a plant, causing it to crumble to dust. "Geez, is there _anything_ alive on this world?"

"Microbial life-forms detected in local water and soil, but I am noting a distinct lack of anything higher in the evolutionary process. The most likely explanation would be that this planet was largely depopulated by a comet impact or similar cataclysm, and the ecosystem is only now beginning to repair itself. I imagine if we'd arrived a few thousand years ago, we would have seen an ice age. As it is, it is extremely unlikely this planet will be able to support any life larger than bacteria and algae for several thousand more years." Tsukuyomi said.

"How lame is that? I was hoping for some vicious wildlife. Or at least more oddly powerful picnic girls." Susanoo whined. "Ah, well, just one more reason to get this done quickly. Do we know where the Gate is?"

"It is quite likely that this Gate, like the unit on Earth, will be buried." Tsukuyomi said.

"… I note that you didn't actually say where it was."

"Unfortunately, the nature of the Gates makes them very difficult to locate with search magic, even while they are dormant. While it should be somewhere within one-hundred square kilometers of our current location, we were only able to get a general location as with the Gate on Earth. In order to pinpoint the location, a more specific on-site search will be required…"

"Yeah, I thought so. Well, you start running a wide-area search. I'll watch your back." He then sighed. "You know, to make sure no algae sneak up on you."

"All right. Send out a full containment team, tell them to set up a restraint barrier until we can get our enforcers to the scene." Chrono said, snapping into command mode. "Get Nanoha and Fate there ASAP, and reconfigure the transmit pad to send Arf and Yuuno to join them."

"Yuuno and Arf are in prison."

"Well, get them out!" Chrono said, stepping off his chair and heading for the transit pad. The silver card that would become Durandal was held at the ready between his fingers.

"Where are you going?" Amy asked.

"To join the combat team of… course…" he then stopped. "… the captain has to stay with the ship, doesn't he?"

"Sorry, Chrono."

"Fine. Just… just tell them to be _careful_. They are to contain, not engage." Chrono grumbled. "These mages went toe-to-toe with two of our most promising agents and came out mostly on top. They're a pair of real monsters, and nobody currently on this ship could last long in combat against them except me. We _must_ take them seriously."

* * *

 

"Hey, Tsukuyomi! Look! I'm interacting with the local life!" Susanoo said, floating upside down and looking at his reflection in a shallow pool. "Someday, the bacteria floating in there will evolve into the most awesome animals on this world, I guarantee it. You can do it, little guys!" He said, giving a thumbs-up… which he then flipped when he realized that he was upside down.

"Conducting wide-area full spectrum search magic requires a great deal of concentration and energy. Please do not distract me." Tsukuyomi said, floating in the midst of several glowing turquoise sigils.

"Ah, don't listen to her, little awesome bacteria. You just look at me and think 'I want to evolve into _that_!'" He said.

Silence.

Silence.

"So, I've been thinking about 'kilometers' ever since we got back from Earth, and you know what? The metric system is sort of convenient. Makes me wonder why we never came up with anything like that." Susanoo said, basically to break the silence.

"Oh. That's interesting." Tsukuyomi said.

"I know! I mean, it's just simple groups of ten, right? Plus you don't have to remember how long that one jerk's stride was, which is always a plus…"

"Oh, no, not that. Your comment was inane."

"HEY!"

"I was referring to the fact that the ten mages that surrounded us three minutes ago have begun casting a group magic. It seems to be some form of containment barrier designed to restrict us to this single location and time… yes, there it is." Tsukuyomi said as the sky grew dark with the entrapment barrier. "This will interfere with my search…"

"… … … … …" Susanoo said.

"Perhaps we should find some way to escape." Tsukuyomi suggested.

"… … … Tsuku."

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you tell me those people were there _when they arrived?!_ " Susanoo snapped.

"I thought they might have been friendly…"

"Why, exactly, would friendly people be showing up on 'Random Dead Planet'?!"

"Well, they were not attacking. I thought perhaps they were simply shy…"

"… Sure. Why not." Susanoo said, seemingly realizing that arguing with her was a wasted effort. "I think I can punch a hole in this barrier, but it won't stay open long. I'll hold it open while you break out, then see what I can do about our new friends."

"You stayed behind last time. I could stay behind this time while you escape." Tsukuyomi offered.

"Well, there's one problem with that. My search magic sucks. If we rely on _me_ to find the Gate, we won't locate it until next month." Susanoo said.

"… point."

"Glad you agree with me. Raijin!"

" **Your Highness!"**

"I do believe it's time to give these amateurs a little taste of how the professionals do things. Load up a barrier buster, let's smash right through it!"

The weapon hummed with power, once again glowing with blue light. " **Lightning Blade, stand by. Ready!"**

"Okay! Time to solve my problems with violence!"

* * *

 

"Chrono! One them has escaped the barrier! We still have the male, though!" Amy reported.

"… damn. Last time, the girl was the one who activated the gate. All we did was catch the bodyguard!" Chrono growled. "… and speaking of annoying magical girls, where are _ours_?!"

"I guess they're taking their English language class right now." Amy said.

"… … … so?!"

"SO, they can't just leave in the middle of a class. It'll look suspicious. They have to sneak out one at a time."

"Just tell them to make up a lame excuse and get out of there! We'll deal with the fallout later!"

"Oh, sure. _You_ say that, but it's not your grades that will suffer. Learning a foreign language is hard, Chrono!"

"Amy, for the love of… we'll hack their school computers and raise their grades! We can do that, right? Just get me my enforcers!"

"All right, I'll let them know, but I don't think they'll be willing to cheat like that. They're good girls." Amy said primly. She turned back to her console and relayed Chrono's message through Raising Heart and Bardiche. "Um… well… Fate protested, but Nanoha was strangely accepting of the idea… should we be worried about that?"

* * *

 

"Right, then." Susanoo said, looking around at the circle of TSAB combat mages. "I don't mean to sound like I don't respect you guys, but you do realize that I've been to children's birthday parties that were more threatening than you?"

"Don't go near him. Just deflect his fire and make sure he doesn't leave until an enforcer gets here." The unit leader said tersely. "And where is the other one?!"

"She's off doing something, I'm sure. You really can't afford to be worrying about anyone but me, you know?"

" **Crush them like the insects they are!"** Raijin said.

"Sorry about that. She gets that way sometimes." Susanoo said apologetically.

"Can the barrier hold him? I've never felt one struggle like this…" one of the mages muttered.

"No." Susanoo said, raising his weapon above his head and beginning to charge it. He smiled at the young man who'd expressed concern. "No, you really, really can't hold me."

"They don't need to."

" **Haken Form!"**

Susanoo smiled even more widely. "Apprentice!" He said cheerfully as he brought Raijin into position to intercept the rapidly descending Bardiche as Fate swept down on him. "I was hoping you'd show up. These guys are barely even a fight, frankly. Oh, and you brought…" he began, glancing at Nanoha. He continued to stare at her in silence for several seconds, his weapon still locked with Fate's. "… her!" he finally finished.

"Why do they never remember my name?" Nanoha asked nobody in particular.

"… Nantoka?" Susanoo asked.

"I'm leaving." Nanoha said sadly, flying off, presumably to find Tsukuyomi. Fate instantly interspersed herself between Nanoha and Susanoo.

"Your business is with me." She said.

"No, no, that's wrong…"

"You don't get a choice," Fate informed him.

"Wha… no, not THAT! Fate, of course I'm gonna fight _you,_ who else would I fight? No, my problem is the way you handled this. Okay, now I want you to watch this really closely, pay attention." He cleared his throat, and brandished his weapon in a gesture of challenge. "Hold! I swear, if you so much as breathe in my friend's direction, I'll cut you out of the air! The only enemy you need concern yourself with is _me,_ villain!"

"… … …" Fate said.

"You see what I did there? My challenge was a lot clearer than yours, I wasn't using metaphors like 'business'. Also, I made sure to call you a villain, firmly establishing myself as being in the right. That's important to do. But most importantly, I showed _enthusiasm!_ Fate, if you don't show a little passion you're never going to intimidate those who dare oppose you."

"I don't really want to. Intimidate people, I mean."

Susanoo sighed sadly. "Sometimes I wonder why I bother teaching you…"

"So do I." Fate said honestly. "In fact, I really wish you wouldn't."

"Miss Testarossa, would you like us to assist you?" the field commander of the containment team asked, breaking into what he (Correctly) assumed to be a not-terribly-important conversation.

Susanoo rolled his eyes. "As if you could…" he muttered under his breath.

Fate ignored him, and smiled at the man. "No, please… I'm afraid my combat style requires a fairly open battlefield. If you stay here I'm likely to be running into you, so please return to the _Asura._ "

"And the barrier? It won't hold up long without us maintaining it."

Fate's smile got just the slightest bit predatory. "Mr. Susanoo," she began.

"You can call me Susa, if you want. Or 'teacher'. Or…"

"Mr. Susanoo," She repeated. "That spatial tear you used to escape last time… will this barrier prevent it from opening?"

He smiled in delight. "Good eye! No, it opens from somewhere outside of what we think of as reality, so most dimensional wards won't do a thing. If I'm ordered to flee, there's really nothing you can do to stop me except physically preventing me from going into the portal."

Fate turned back to the _Asura_ mages. "If the barrier falls, then it falls. Please, I'm sorry, but none of you are above C-class, right? I'm afraid you'd really just be targets to him.

With a curt nod, the containment team fell back. After a few moments, they dissolved into white light.

Susanoo smiled. "Finally, I have you all to myself."

* * *

 

"Dimensional Drive unit serial #02, commence immediate gate interface, and reprogramming. Function ready, target coordinates ready. Command execute." Tsukuyomi ordered. As expected, the small gem burst into green light before zipping off to reprogram the Gate. This particular one appeared to be submerged in one of the larger oceans, making it simpler for her particular brand of magic to find. It was a shame they hadn't started closer to the coast, they could have been gone by now.

The Drive unit had made it about half-way to the target, when a thin pink beam of light struck it, halting its progress and drawing it off course. Tsukuyomi watched in confusion as the driver veered, following the pink light and disappearing into a familiar staff.

"It's been awhile since I had to use Sealing Mode." Nanoha said. "And since this Gate wasn't even partially active yet, I didn't have to worry about it eating my spells. Right?"

"You again…" Tsukuyomi said somewhat sleepily. "Nanoha Takamachi…"

"… Thank you _so much_." Nanoha said, momentarily overjoyed at being addressed by her proper name by an opponent for the first time in… well, actually, since Fate and Vita had not, to her memory, done so until after their respective feuds with her were already over, the first time in _ever_.

"For what…?"

"Nothing, never mind." Nanoha said hurriedly.

"…Could you please return my drive unit? I really do need it."

"How about we make a deal? If you can just tell me what you're planning to use these Gates for, I'll give it back. Even if it's something that I can't let you go through with, I'll give you a fair chance to take your drive unit from me in combat as long as you just talk to me first. Otherwise, I'll head back to the _Asura_ right now and you'll never see this thing again!"

 _What do I do… I must get the Drive unit back… but I cannot reveal the Rebirth details to an agent of the Bureau, her majesty's orders were very clear on that subject._ Tsukuyomi thought. _I should use subterfuge._

"We plan to use the gate to transport a wide variety of small, fluffy animals across the universe. This will make everyone very happy, because small, fluffy animals are very nice. Please return the unit now." Tsukuyomi said.

"… … … you're a really awful liar, you know."

_Oh, no. She saw through my deception, what should I do… her majesty will be very angry with me, and big brother may make fun of me. That would be unpleasant… what should I do, what should I do…_

"… _Please_ return the drive unit?" She asked. Perhaps politeness would sway the strange, loud girl.

"You said please the first time you asked. The answer is still no."

 _Oh, no. I've repeated strategies. What should I do? What should I do?_ Tsukuyomi thought. "… I shall give you a candy if you please return the drive unit?"

* * *

 

Far, far away, an unassuming man in an unassuming office nodded once to an equally unassuming man on his comm screen. "Commence operation." He said. "Prep the combat team to move in, and order the observer unit to pull away and put up the cloak. The whole package; sensory, communication, transport... I want the _Asura_ blind, deaf, and crippled."

"Done, sir."

Several kilometers away from the battlefield, a small machine hovered.

Nobody currently engaged was aware of this, of course. Even if they had been actively looking for this device, it would have been difficult to find; it was wrapped in the finest anti-detection spells available, and built with the latest in modern stealth technology. And of course, the most basic aspect, visual detection, had been considered… while it wasn't exactly _tiny,_ it wasn't much larger than, say, a watermelon, and the outer shell was composed of a chameleon-esque material that carefully mimicked whatever background it was against. Spotting it in the wide sky would have been virtually impossible.

Two separate cameras focused in two directions, simultaneously observing the two pairs of mages and transmitting the data to a secure facility. Upon receiving a transmission of its own, namely that the combat unit would soon be arriving, it immediately ceased transmission and set down. All available power would be needed for the next task it needed to perform. The small machine began to hum with power as it carried out its orders.

* * *

 

Nanoha sighed sadly. "Chrono? I have the Logia, and she won't negotiate, so please bring me back to the ship."

Raising Heart loyally transmitted its master's command back to the _Asura._

Nothing happened.

The light of the teleport feed did not enshroud Nanoha. Chrono's voice did not come over the communicator in Raising Heart in reply. Indeed, nothing happened to provide any indication that her transmission had been heard at all.

"Chrono? Do you read me?"

Silence.

Tsukuyomi leveled her staff in Nanoha's direction.

"Well, that's not good." Nanoha said, dropping into a combat stance.

* * *

 

"Chrono, something's wrong. We've lost communications with the field team." Amy said.

"Of course we have. Because that's something that could go wrong, and my first major command just had to be full of those." Chrono grumbled. "How are they jamming us? At last scan the only barrier on the planet was ours."

"That's still the case, and I'm not picking up anything I'd call a jamming field. The comm just plain refuses to connect, and I can't pull up a visual either." Amy said in frustration.

"Could it be an equipment failure?"

"Everything's green on our end, and I double checked by bouncing a signal off an automated relay beacon. We just can't get in touch with that one, specific world. So unless Nanoha _and_ Fate both lost their comms at the _same time_ , we're not looking at an equipment-related problem." Amy said.

"All right… for now, we'll just have to keep trying to penetrate it. There's not much else we _can_ do." Chrono said. "Those girls are the best. We'll just have to hope they can hold out without us looking over their shoulders for a little bit…"

After a moment of silence, Amy observed that Chrono was gripping the arms of the Captain's chair so hard his knuckles had gone white. "You wish you were out there, huh?"

"Do you have to ask?" Chrono responded simply. "I should never have accepted this promotion…"

"You're doing fine, Chrono. It's just that you're doing fine _at_ is a lot more frustrating than being out in the center of the action." Amy said helpfully.

"Doesn't change the fact that I wish I was down there with them." Chrono said. "And speaking of people I wish were down there… where the _Hell_ are Yuuno and Arf?!"

* * *

 

"This is all your fault!" Yuuno said frantically as he dove into the massive pile of paperwork. "You were just supposed to intimidate him, but noooooo!"

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that one little nibble would make everyone go crazy?" Arf said defensively. The warden, a large, and somewhat greasy man who clearly didn't care for either his job or his visitors, narrowed his eyes.

"When Chrono said 'some paperwork' he should have mentioned that it would be about enough for me to make a bed out of the sheets! If I'd known I was going to spend this entire mission filling out forms, I'd have stayed in the Library!" Yuuno snapped.

"Hee, hee… you know, it's weird, but I'm glad we got to do this together. It's kind of comforting to know you're the same old spaz under that confident new exterior, Yuuno." Arf said, smiling cheerfully.

"Oh, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself!"

 _FERRET! Are you not ready for transmit_ yet _?!_ Chrono shouted into his head.

_Blame your sister's crazy pet! Why did I even bring her along?!_

_To scare people. But that's beside the point! I need you back, yesterday!_

_Well excuse me! You didn't tell me that I'd have to fill out more criminal report forms than if Arf had actually_ murdered _the guy. If you need me out of here so fast, you're going to have to talk to the warden yourself, because I've already been arrested once today and I'm not risking it again by ticking this guy off!_

 _Fine! Just give me a second._ Chrono finished. A few seconds later, the monitor on the warden's wall beeped once to indicate an incoming transmission. The man, curious as to why anyone would call him, pressed the receive button. Chrono's face appeared on the monitor and simply said, "Warden… Milione correct?"

"Yes, sir, Scarro Milione, warden of…"

"Yes, that's very nice. My name is Chrono Harlaown, Captain of the Time/Space Administration cruiser _Asura._ We are currently engaged in a full-scale magical battle with a pair of dangerous fugitives, and I need my entire combat crew. You are currently holding up some of my valuable combat resources and I'm afraid I need them back immediately."

"'Combat Resources'?" Arf sniffed. "I'm practically family, Chrono!"

"Now, Captain, you're fully aware that I'm doing all I can. Your people _have_ committed a crime here, and I'm already playing fast and loose with the law as it is…"

"I don't play this card normally, but this is a crisis." Chrono interrupted. "My mother is an admiral, and she listens to me when I talk. If you don't let those two out of there and finish that paperwork yourself, I will talk to her. And by talking to her, I will see to it that you spend the rest of your career as a janitor in your own prison, and that the man who hates you most in all the universe will be found and made your new boss. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir, Mr. Harlaown sir." The warden said numbly.

Yuuno blinked. "Um… I guess we're ready for transport then."

Chrono narrowed his eyes.

"… ready for transport, _sir._ " Yuuno said quickly.

"You had _better_ be." Chrono said. "Okay, Amy, get them on their way."

There was a slight pause.

" _What do you mean you can't get a lock?!"_ Chrono snapped, closing the link as he did.

Silence reigned in the warden's office.

"Offhand, I'm gonna say that something's gone wrong." Arf said.

* * *

 

"Axel shooter! _Shoot_!" Ten bright pink energy bullets form around Nanoha and then rushed out, spreading to surround Tsukuyomi and then converging on her at high speed.

"Suijin, physical shield."

" **Morph Wall."** The staff intoned. Rather than generating a barrier, however, it drew water up from the nearby ocean and wrapped it around Tsukuyomi in a series of tendrils that swatted away the incoming bolts.

"That's a new one…" Nanoha muttered.

"I told you before, didn't I? I am the guardian who represents the moon. The moon controls the tides, so all water is under Suijin's command." Tsukuyomi said. "Cut her down…"

" **Triton Spear."** The mass of liquid surrounding Tsukuyomi dissolved into a cloud of thousands of liquid needles that rushed towards Nanoha _en masse_.

"Shield me!" Nanoha snapped, holding out one hand.

" **Protection Powered.** " Raising Heart obliged. The mass cloud of water blades slammed into the pink wall of light, striking up sparks all along the half-dome. The onslaught continued for several painful seconds, but when it finally ceased, Nanoha's shield wasn't even visibly damaged.

 _What is she planning? That was pretty clearly a spell for clearing out multiple, lightly armored targets. She had to know it wouldn't even scratch my defenses…_ Nanoha thought.

Then she noticed that all of that liquid was, somehow, still floating in the air around her.

"Pull her beneath the waves…" Tsukuyomi commanded.

" **Aqua Tomb."**

The loose water swirled back together, snapping around Nanoha like an angry snake. She managed to extend her protection into a full sphere… which was, instants later, surrounded by another sphere made of water.

A sphere which immediately began to _squeeze._

"Come back!" Nanoha ordered.

Tsukuyomi looked down to see three of the pink energy bullets that she'd thought destroyed continuing to rush at her. Instantly she flew into evasive maneuvers, even as one of them passed so close to her she felt it burn through a few stray hairs.

 _They're too fast._ She reasoned, noting as the shots passed her and turned around. _Escape is not an option._ Deciding she had no other choice, she raised her hand and projected a barrier to deflect the shots. The three hammer blows rocked her backwards, but the turquoise-silver star held…

" **Barrier Burst,"** Raising Heart said. Nanoha's shield exploded, scattering the water bind. "Okay! Maximum power, Raising Heart!" The girl commanded.

"Suijin, lock on target." Tsukuyomi said, leveling her own weapon.

" **Divine Buster..."**

" **Howling Moon…"**

" _SHOOT!"_

"Fire."

Silver and pink light collided and briefly warred… but the result was quickly decided.

Eyes wide, Tsukuyomi muttered "Oh, dear," as the pink-white bolt tore through her own attack and roared towards her. The Divine Buster exploded, illuminating the sky for miles with pink light.

 _Did I get her? The beam exploded, but it didn't feel like a direct hit…_ Nanoha thought. And sure enough, when the smoke cleared, Tsukuyomi was nowhere to be seen. Nanoha began frantically scanning the sky, looking for any trace of the other girl.

_Where did she go?! She couldn't have teleported in such a short time, and she's nowhere in the air… where did she…_

_Below?!_ Nanoha thought frantically, finally catching a sign of movement out of the corner of her eye.

Tsukuyomi shot up towards Nanoha like a comet. Rather than try to stop Nanoha's attack, she had briefly cut out her flight spell and gone into free-fall, then skimmed along the surface to get closer to the other mage. "Suijin, prepare for close combat."

" **Saber form, set up."** Suijin obliged, transforming into a long, slender silver blade, the turquoise gem now adorning the sword's hilt. Nanoha brought her staff into line just barely in time, catching the thin blade mere inches from her face.

"You seem to prefer long-distance combat." Tsukuyomi said, pressing her superior physical strength against the other girl and slowly moving the blade closer. "I see no reason to help you play to your strengths." She removed one of her hands from the hilt of her new sword and drew it back.

 _Uh-oh._ Nanoha thought, remembering how Fate had gotten her concussion. To make matters worse, Tsukuyomi had not balled her hand into a fist, but held it flat, as if she intended to _spear_ Nanoha with the appendage in question.

She broke off from the blade lock and threw herself desperately to the side as the blow came, feeling a pain and warmth on her cheek as she didn't _quite_ make it. Just a scratch, though. The sword that was certain to come next would definitely not be a scratch, though, and thus efforts should be made to avoid it. Nanoha shifted one hand of Raising Heart and moved her arm in a chopping gesture.

 _Another bullet?_ Tsukuyomi thought, assuming the gesture to be a recall for yet another delayed shot. Just for a second, she glanced over her shoulder…

And realized instantly that there was nothing coming, and she'd just done exactly what Nanoha had wanted her to do. This impression was reinforced in the next instant, when a solid metal bar collided with the back of her head.

Taking advantage of the brief stun to get a little distance, Nanoha raised her hand to her bleeding face. Just a small cut, and too low to get into her eyes. Not a problem.

"... ... ... did you just club me with your staff?"

"Yeah. Raising Heart isn't really much of an offensive melee weapon in this mode, but I didn't have time to set up anything else. I knew your back was only going to be turned for a second."

"That trick where you made me anticipate another bullet was fairly creative. I'll remember it for the future." Tsukuyomi said.

"Thanks," Nanoha said somewhat breathlessly.

"There's no need to thank me. We are enemies, after all." Tsukuyomi said. She shifted her blade in front of her like a fencer, one hand held behind her for balance. It looked very sophisticated, although the value of it while standing in midair was questionable.

"I don't think we really are. You're just doing your job, right? I'm the same way. There's no reason we have to be enemies forever just because we don't have a choice right now." Nanoha said warmly.

Tsukuyomi tilted her head to one side. "That is a rather naive point of view. You assume that we could simply bury our hostilities after a life-or-death conflict? Some might call it outright idiotic."

Nanoha winced. "Um… I'm not really sure what to say to that…"

"But… I don't dislike that thought. I can't say I hate naive optimists like you, Miss Takamachi." Tsukuyomi said with the closest to a smile that Nanoha had seen on her.

"Oh, well…" Nanoha began, filled with some slight confidence of reaching the girl for the first time.

"It's a shame that you've proven too great a threat for me to spare your life. I'm sure you understand that my mission comes first, and eliminating risks is just common sense."

"… darn."

"Commence attack, Suijin."

" **Dance of Illusions."** The saber said. The girl holding it blurred… and vanished.

 _Not good._ Nanoha thought.

* * *

 

It was around the time that Fate flipped in midair and her heel caught him in the chin that Susanoo began to recognize that perhaps she'd been holding out on him.

Floating back, he raised his hand to his mouth and wiped a spot of blood from the side of his mouth. "Ouch. You know, I keep forgetting how fast you are until you smack me and I can't figure out how you did it. But last time you acted like you wanted to keep your distance…?"

"It occurred to me that the opposite might be better." Fate said, a slight grin on her face. "At close range, that huge weapon and your strength give you the advantage. But if I get _too_ close, your Raijin's size makes it hard for you to maneuver. And since I'm faster than you, it's hard for you react quickly enough to hit me with your free limbs."

Fate felt she was starting to get a better measure of her opposition. Initially, she'd thought of him as somewhat like Signum, a combat junkie. But there was a difference, namely that Signum _enjoyed combat_ while Susanoo _thought of combat as a game_. It was subtle, but she was starting to understand the difference.

Signum fought all out with a fierce joy right from the start, no matter who she was facing. She didn't hold back, even against an opponent that obviously couldn't defeat her. She always, _always_ fought to win.

Susanoo, however, actively tried to make the battle as interesting as he could; pointing out mistakes, congratulating innovation, even just cheering her on. As long as he had a challenge, had _fun_ , he genuinely didn't seem to care if he won or not.

It had been a little discomforting at first, but once she got used to it, Fate didn't really mind his eccentricities… and besides, she wouldn't have seemed very friendly if she hadn't responded in kind.

"Heh, heh… fast learner!" He congratulated. "But you're not going to win with such light blows…"

_Unfortunately, he's got a point. At ultra-close range I can attack almost at will because he can't bring that axe to bear quickly, but it's like hitting a brick wall. I can't do any serious damage through his personal shields without my large-scale cannon attacks, and if I take the time to charge one up, he'll be on me in seconds…_

"… and you didn't stop to consider that maybe you're not the first person to try this." He finished. "Raijin!"

Raijin's charge system spun into activation. " **Thunder Spirit!** " A blue aura immediately sprung into existence, crackling with electricity; not around the axe, but around the wielder.

"Personal enhan…?!" Fate began. She probably meant to say 'enhancement', but the boy with the rather large weapon was quite suddenly much closer than he'd been a second ago.

Faster… a speed boost, then. But Fate had never met a mage faster than herself, and even with an enhancement magic, he wasn't good enough.

She snapped Bardiche Haken into a defensive position, and lunged forward so her weapon would catch his on the shaft instead of the blade. It still struck so hard her arms hurt, but it was infinitely more bearable than a direct hit. And it gave her the opportunity to slide down his weapon and take a swing right at…

No, she wouldn't be falling for _that_.

She pushed off, taking some distance and instead swung her weapon at an angle. " **Arc Saber!** " it shouted, hurling the Haken blade.

"Oh, no you don't!" Susanoo chided her, swinging his own weapon in a disturbingly similar way.

" **Thunderclap!"**

The two energy blades met in midair, resulting in a rather hideous _screaming_ noise as they attempted to cut through each other.

"I'm not done yet!" Fate said, "Bardiche! Take as much as you need, just blast through it!"

" **Blitz Rush!"** Bardiche shouted, loading a cartridge as it did so. The spinning of the flying yellow blade rapidly increased, finally breaking the stalemate as it ripped through Susanoo's attack and continued on to the caster.

He smiled.

His blue aura spell, upon touching the golden blade, _exploded_ in a wave of lightning that briefly shrouded him in a small blue sphere. When the light cleared, both Fate's attack and Susanoo's aura were gone.

"That was an interesting spell. It enhances, shields, and attacks, all at once… I don't think I've ever seen one quite like it." Fate admitted, smiling slightly.

"Thanks! But it's really not so impressive… it only blocks one attack, and the speed boost isn't all that great. Plus it uses up a _ton_ of energy, so I can't do it very often." Susanoo said cheerfully. "Still, it has its uses. The last person I used it on didn't figure it out fast enough and got himself fried, but you were too smart, I guess. Every time I think I have you figured out, you just go right ahead and make this more fun!"

Fate leveled her weapon. "Well, I try not to disappoint."

"Hmmm... well, if that's the case, maybe we should put the fight on hold to work on your dramatic declarations for a little bit? Because that's one area you're disappointing me in. Oh, and maybe we should work on your smile, because it's not bloodthirsty enough. You're rather small and cute, so you need to work extra hard to come across as a credible threat. Oh, and..." Susanoo said.

Fate sighed sadly. "Couldn't we just... fight?"

"M'Kay!"

* * *

 

"What is going _on_ Amy? First our communication cuts out, now we can't teleport either? Is this bloody ship falling apart on me?" Chrono asked irritably.

"I _told_ you, it's not the equipment! I've _had_ the engineers check _every inch_ and it's _all fine_!" Amy said steadfastly. "And I know we're not being jammed, because there are no barriers in place except our own! Sensors are working fine, the planet is still _there_ , I just… no active systems are functioning in relationship to it! The ship tells me 'yes, we can teleport someone to that place', but when I try to do it, nothing happens! I have no idea what's going on, Chrono!"

 _If it's not an equipment failure… and it's not a jamming barrier…_ Chrono thought. _It has to be outside interference of some kind, but what?! It's like our systems are being jammed, but they themselves can't_ figure out _they're being jammed. Some kind of undetectable barrier? But I've never heard of that kind of thing... and that would mean it's not the suspects, since they used fairly normal time-sealing fields on Earth._

"What's going on?!" Chrono hissed in frustration, one more time.

* * *

 

"Report?" said the man.

"The cloak went up without a hitch, sir. The _Asura_ cannot interfere with the battle in any way, and they are receiving only the sensor data we choose to let them."

"And the Black Cat unit?"

"Engaging now. They will take the two unknowns, alive if possible, and silence all witnesses."

"Good. Damn shame about those girls. If we'd gotten the order to move even fifteen minutes earlier, we might have managed to cordon off the planet before they even arrived."

"Nothing to be done about it, sir. You know we can't leave witnesses."

"Of course, of course. Still, we should see they get nice funerals," The man said thoughtfully. "Tell the Black Cats to commence operations, won't you?"

And as the man in the unassuming office pondered that rather morbid thought, twelve figures in black flickered into existence on the unnamed planet at dimensional coordinates 1174382001.

And the operation began.


	8. Black Cats

Each of them was _exactly_ the same size and shape, down to the millimeter. Each was also dressed head to toe in black… literally. From the crowns of their heads to the soles of their boots, not a single inch of exposed tissue could be seen on any one of them, and their outfits were armored and bulky to the point they couldn't even be reliably described as 'male' or 'female'. The outfits had no markings or distinguishing characteristics; there weren't even any eyeholes in their helmets. They only way they could be told to be 'people' and not simply empty suits of armor was the fact that they moved. And even then, they might have been mistaken for machines if they hadn't been moving just a _bit_ too organically to be robotic.

They floated serenely for a few moments, each one briefly gazing about to take in their surroundings. Then, without a word, they split into two groups of six, each of which began to fly towards one of the two battlefields.

When it began, it moved quickly.

Susanoo held his glowing blade above him, gathering power into the weapon. The smile on his face suggested that he was, once again, planning to just blast the entire battlefield into small pieces and that he would _not_ be falling for any clever tricks with Sonic Form this time around, so Fate had better think of something new. Fate, for her part, had reasoned that she could probably launch a big attack faster than he could, and a sphere of golden light gathered in her palm, ready to be fired in just a few seconds.

Nanoha drew her head back quickly as Tsukuyomi's saber slashed lightly through the space where it had been a second ago, watching in dismay as a few of her hairs began the long, slow fall to the ground. 'Dance of Illusions' had turned out to be a rather annoying spell, but at least she knew that one of the _several_ Tsukuyomis running around the battlefield was actually the real one, so as long as she could defend against all of them at once, she wouldn't need to blindfold herself this time (thank heavens for small favors. _That_ had not been anything she cared to repeat). Nanoha was thinking of ways she might gain some distance, and at the moment she was beginning to think that if she went straight down and fired a Divine Buster directly into the ocean, the resulting explosion might make a good visual shield.

Then all four of them stopped.

Susanoo stopped smiling and lowered his weapon. This alone was enough to clue Fate into the fact that something had clearly gone horribly wrong. "Fate… Raijin sort of sucks at the sensitive stuff, so I'm not even going to bother with a search spell…"

" **Hey!"**

"… but did you just feel something weird?"

Since she _had,_ in fact, felt something weird, Fate stepped back and lowered Bardiche. She closed her eyes and extended her senses. It was difficult… this world was more dead than alive, which meant it's natural magic was somewhat hard to sort through. "It's hard to be sure. It appeared and then disappeared very quickly, but I agree that there was some kind of reaction."

"Yeah, I thought…" Susanoo began. Then he noticed something he hadn't before.

Namely, that a large blade had stabbed deep into his left shoulder from behind.

It was a triangular blade of black metal, like the tip of a spear, and it was attached to a chain. The chain was, in turn, connected to the wrist of a figure in black that was floating behind him and which he would swear had not been there just a second ago.

"Huh." He said, not quite certain just yet what had happened. He was looking over his shoulder, right at the piece of black metal that had pierced his barrier jacket and the blood running down his back, but he didn't seem to be taking it as badly as he probably should have been. "So… you clearly have some kind of stealth shielding? I'm sorry if I seem a little off, it's just that, well, this looks like it should hurt but it doesn't really, so I don't think my mind is quite processing it correctly…"

"Tear it out! Before…" Fate screamed.

Two more blades struck him from other angles, one in the center of the chest (from directly behind Fate, much to her surprise) and one in the top of his other shoulder.

 **Target immobilized.** A voice said. It didn't seem to be coming from any of the three black-clad figures that had set their hooks into Susanoo… more like it was coming from the air between them.

Three? Make that six.

 **Containment Skill: Chains of Prometheus.** The three new figures, floating in previously empty spaces, extended their hands toward Susanoo. Black mist began to rise around the speared mage, quickly obscuring him from view completely in a black sphere.

The entire process had taken a little less than a minute. Without a word, the assailants who had speared Susanoo withdrew the chains, minus the blades still trapped within the containment barrier.

And then all six of them turned to face her. And each of them raised one hand in her direction. And from each of six wrists, a small barrel that was clearly some sort of weapon emerged from their armor. **Assault Skill: Perfect Assassin.**

Fate, recognizing that standing still was probably not the best idea right at that moment, _moved_.

The six weapons leveled in her direction filled the sky with streaks of purple light. The problem was not that they were terribly powerful, but that every possible avenue of escape was covered… it was as if her unknown attackers had each chosen a possible route for her to evade and somehow silently let the others know which path they were going to cover. No matter which way she chose, at least one hit was a guarantee, and if she stayed still to put up a barrier, they would just batter her down with rapid fire. She broke left, moving with as much speed as she could pull off without thinning her armor, and as predicted, winced in pain as a neat circular burn emblazoned itself on her left leg. Still, her Barrier Jacket's personal shields took most of the impact, and only the one shot seemed to have hit.

"Bardiche, counter-attack!"

" **Assault Form, get set. Photon Lancer, scatter shot!"** The glowing golden missiles fired with impressive speed, utilizing the stored energy she'd been planning to fire at Susanoo a few moments ago. She'd chosen a wide-range attack, reasoning that with such a tight formation, not all of them would be able to get clear; basically an inverse of the same tactic that had just worked fairly well on her. To her surprise, however, only three of them even tried, flying out to take up flanking positions around her. The other three actually closed ranks, not moving from the space where her fire would hit hardest.

**Defensive Skill: Unity Wall.**

The three targets each held up one palm, and a translucent veil of dark… something… appeared between them and her attack. The bolts struck with just as much force as she had planned, but still reflected harmlessly from the barrier they raised. And now she was surrounded, and the others were preparing to open fire again…

* * *

 

"Any luck, Amy?"

Amy cast him a glare that could have melted granite. She didn't say it out loud, of course, but it basically screamed 'If I had good news, don't you think I would have said something?'.

"Okay, we need to try this from a new perspective. If the _Asura_ 's teleport system is non-functioning, maybe a personalized feed would work."

"Personalized teleportation to somewhere you've never been and that you aren't attuned to in the slightest, while a confrontation between AAA class mages is occurring on-site? Even if you made it through all right, you'd be useless once you arrived." Amy said, and realistically, she wasn't wrong. The reason most people used machines to get around was that personal teleportation wasn't terribly energy efficient, and it got worse if the caster had never been where they were trying to go. The strain could be minimized if the mage was somehow attuned to the location in question, like Fate with the Garden of Time. Or if the mage had several qualified companions to help them handle the strain, like the Wolkenritter had commonly done.

Of course, Chrono actually had neither of these things. What he had was a planet he'd never even _heard_ of and a team of mages that were already half-exhausted from trying to contain an opponent who was considerably out of their weight class. And the ambient magic from the battle on-site just made things even worse.

Of course again, Amy delicately refrained from bringing up the fact that _the Captain was supposed to stay with the ship_.

Chrono nodded once. "That's why I'm not going myself. Bring Arf and Yuuno here with the ship's systems. Then I'll send them to Nanoha and Fate personally. It'll be hard to be accurate, but at least they'll be on the right _world_. It's a step in the right direction."

"That's even worse! Do you really have enough energy to manage two people?"

"I can tap the _Asura's_ reactors for a boost. That should give me the raw muscle I need."

"But…"

"If we shut down most of our systems, it should make the reactor stable enough to safely siphon power from." Chrono said, shooting down her next protest before she could pull it off. "It's not as though we're using the thing for anything else, at the moment."

Amy sighed. "Okay, okay. If you're dead set on this, I'll get Yuuno and Arf back to the ship." She turned back to her panel, hit a few buttons… and froze.

"… Amy?" Chrono asked hesitantly. "What's wrong?"

"GAAAAAAAAAAH!" Amy shrieked.

"Not working, huh?"

"How the… what the… when the…" Amy sputtered. "How the _Hell_ did they do this to my _Asura?!"_

"… 'Your' _Asura?"_

"It's not working Chrono! Again, it's not working! It's like someone is watching each and every individual thing I try and only letting me do the things they _want_ me to do! This is so much more annoying than just normal jamming I can't stand it!"

Chrono's eyes narrowed. "… Huh." He said.

"What? What's wrong?"

"I… I hope I'm wrong, but I think I know what the problem is. Or at least, I have a fairly good idea. Oooooh, someone's going to pay for this…"

"What? What do you mean, Chrono?"

"I don't have time to explain it right this second, unfortunately. For now, just shut down everything but life support, all other systems totally dark. We can't trust anything the main computer says. I'm going to go interface with the power core."

Amy's eyes widened. "Chrono, this plan was dangerous enough when you were just handling half the trip. You're really going to try the whole thing? What are we gonna do if you blow your head up by accident?!"

Chrono smiled. "We don't have many options right now, Amy. My people are in danger. I wouldn't be much of a captain if I didn't do everything in my power to help them, right?" He said, and began the trek down the _Asura'_ s engineering bay.

Amy, for her part, did not blush. Not even a _little_ , no matter what anyone said. He was just a kid, after all, even when he did say cool things like that.

* * *

 

Yuuno yawned.

Arf scratched behind her ear.

Warden Milione said, "So… um… you kids want a mint or something? I think I got some mints."

"Um… sure." Yuuno said.

"I guess so." Arf said.

The warden looked through his desk. "Huh. I must be out."

"Oh."

"Sorry."

"No, it's all right. Not your fault."

"I just feel bad for offering you a mint when I didn't have any."

"No problem." Arf said.

Silence fell.

Silence landed.

Silence lay there on the ground like a dead fish.

"You know, we're missing the fight, Yuuno. The two of us, we're missing the fight, right now."

"I know, Arf."

"I'm just hoping this isn't going to become a common thing, you know? I mean, let's face it; we don't get to do as much as we used to. Fate doesn't need me to help her that much anymore, and Nanoha is like a tiny engine of destruction, so she really doesn't need you shielding her too badly. I hope we don't get kind of… you know, phased out."

"Well, my new job is pretty time-consuming, and as Fate gets more powerful it's only natural she'd rely on you less for combat and more for other things. But I'm sure they wouldn't phase us out entirely, right? We'll be right there at their sides every time a big crisis pops up, you just watch." Yuuno said confidently.

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"I mean, when lives are in danger, they certainly wouldn't just leave me in the library without telling me anything, or just… I don't know, leave you at home to clean or watch the house. They'd call us."

"Yeah, they would." Arf agreed. "But… well, what if they _replace_ us? What if they find some new guys, and they just replace us? Fate's always wanted kids when she grows up. What if she grows up, becomes a mom, and her kids replace me? And Nanoha, she's always saving people and making new friends. What if she finds some new people and they replace you?"

"Oh, that would never happen. I mean, I'm the one who taught Nanoha magic in the first place. And you're Fate's only family. They wouldn't just _replace_ us. We're much too important."

"… I'm sure you're right." Arf said.

Silence fell again.

Silence fell, and fell, and fell.

Conveniently enough,a brilliant blue light chose that moment to flood the office, disrupting the very awkward silence. With identical squawks of surprise, Yuuno and Arf vanished.

The warden smiled. "I wasn't out of mints at _all_. I just didn't want to give _you_ any." He said smugly, popping a mint into his mouth.

* * *

 

Three black blades shot through the sky at the little girl in the blue dress… and a silver saber intercepted each and every one. In a shower of sparks, all three were harmlessly knocked aside.

"Your stealth technology is quite impressive." Tsukuyomi asked mildly. "Not impressive enough to fool my senses, but I imagine a less sensitive mage would have been quite fooled. Very nice."

The figures in black did not answer, merely drew back and regrouped, withdrawing their weapons as they did. They did not seem terribly distraught that their initial assault had failed… merely as though they now had to reconsider their initial strategy, and were choosing to evaluate their options.

Tsukuyomi supposed that was a wise decision to make, but she had no intention of allowing them to do it. But first, she should make certain of…

A distortion in her sensory field caught her attention. _More of them? My, that stealth shielding_ is _good._

She spun to answer the new threat, but she needn't have bothered. The target for the incoming assault was not herself, but the bureau mage. Luckily, Nanoha's senses seemed to be rather sharp as well, and she managed to raise a barrier sufficient to deflect the energy volleyed against her. Her return fire was equally smooth and sharp… and totally ineffective, as the three figures that had attacked her came together to generate a single shield that repelled the pink blast. They were, apparently, sufficiently impressed that they chose to regroup with their comrades, however.

The two girls floated, measuring up the six hostile figures sharing the sky with them. "They are not your allies, I take it?" Tsukuyomi asked.

"I don't have any allies that attack me." Nanoha said tersely. Her tone then became thoughtful. "… Well, except Vita, sometimes. But that's mostly just in fun."

Tsukuyomi nodded once. "Very well. In that case, take my wing while I test their defenses."

"Wait, wh-"

Without another word, Tsukuyomi lunged. She struck only once, a light blow with her sword, but the figure she had targeted was quickly joined by another, and together they projected a barrier to repel her. She instantly zipped backwards and brought her sword into a vertical slash, saying as she did, "Cut through it."

" **Crescent Moon Dance.** " Suijin said. The blade developed a silvery-turquoise aura that extended several feet from the actual sword, allowing her to take another slash from a greater distance… which was repelled when a third intervened to strengthen the existing black barrier. The three not engaged in defense attempted to snare her again with their chains, but she nimbly skipped back to take up position next to Nanoha.

"… … … I thought I told you to take my wing. Why did you not defend me?" Tsukuyomi asked with just the slightest hint of annoyance.

"Well, you should have given me more warning! I didn't think you were going to rush right at them! And when did we join forces?!" Nanoha asked.

"We have a mutual enemy, so we are allies for now. That's only natural." Tsukuyomi said simply. "Although, I suppose I could kill you now and then deal with them… or kill them now and then deal with you… or perhaps I could let you kill each other and deal with the winner. Yes, actually, I think that last one will work rather well, so let's do that."

"No, no, I don't mind working together," Nanoha said quickly.

Without the slightest change of expression, Tsukuyomi said. "Oh, then you do wish for a truce? That's good. Since we are allies now, you should return my Drive unit…"

"No."

"… ah."

* * *

 

They were far from the most powerful opponents Fate had ever faced, but they might just have been the most annoying.

She'd managed, with a little effort, to get around their shields and break their formation, only to find that the results were less than stellar. They simply shrugged off maneuvers that should have rendered a person of the power they'd shown unconscious, and stopping to focus an attack on one left her open to the others. And of course, they typically managed to get back into formation within seconds of being knocked out.

They were wearing her down. Slowly, tediously, but relentlessly.

She sighed sadly. The sad fact of the matter was, she knew what needed to be done right now. It was sort of a risk, but she didn't _think_ it would backfire on her. Probably.

"Bardiche? We're going back to close combat. Their reflexes seem to be better at distance."

" **Haken Form!"** Bardiche obliged, once again sprouting its scythe blade.

This, of course, was a lie, and Bardiche knew that. She knew full well that at close combat, one of them would attempt to hold her still while the other five surrounded her; she'd already _tried_ that. But she was savvy enough to realize that blurting out her actual plan in front of them was probably a bad idea.

She rushed the enemy, and as expected they broke ranks to leave her just one target who was, in turn, rushing to meet her. Rather than actually engage him in melee, she came to a sudden stop and hurled the Haken blade directly at his head. Of course, the attack was blatantly obvious, and the figure in black dodged it with relative ease.

Exactly as planned.

Fate raised Bardiche, catching her attacker's wrist-mounted blade on her device, and gritted her teeth as the others took up firing positions. Two long, _long_ seconds passed. _Come on, come on!_ She couldn't afford to look, but the Arc Saber had to have hit its real target by now…

A gigantic silver blade swung through the air between her and her attacker, lopping off its left arm at the elbow. The sudden absence of pressure on her weapon allowed her to shove the man away with ease and get out of the fire zone, the barrage the other assassins launched passing harmlessly through empty air.

The attacker who had just lost a limb drew back, sparks flying from the stray wires that dangled from his severed arm, revealing the circuitry inside. Fate sighed in relief. They were automatons, then… that helped. They'd moved so organically that they thought they'd been people in bodysuits for awhile, but their precision had just screamed 'combat computer'. Even now that she could _see_ the circuitry, she still couldn't shake the feeling that something was very off about them, though…

Susanoo floated next to her, weapon at the ready. The blades that had been used to immobilize him were still sticking into his body, although he didn't really seem to mind. "Thanks, Fatie! It would have taken me a long time to get out of there if you hadn't lent me a hand."

"That was the general idea. Although you might have made sure that was a machine before you cut its arm off." Fate said.

Susanoo put on an expression that could best be described as 'recently kicked puppy'. "But… but I was helping! That guy, he was really trying to kill you, Fate! Besides, he doesn't really seem to mind! He didn't scream or anything!"

"Yes. I know. That's because he's a robot." Fate said patiently.

"Um… you sure about that, Fate?" Susanoo said, holding up Raijin for her inspection.

There was blood on it.

Fate's eyes widened, and she turned her gaze to look at the recently de-limbed assassin. No, there was definitely circuitry in the wound… but now that she looked, blood _was_ slowly dripping from it as well, albeit not nearly as much as such an enormous wound should have produced. There was… there was living tissue worked into the machinery? Her eyes wide with some combination of shock and horror, Fate managed to stutter, "W-what the… what _is_ that?!"

"You mean besides 'creepy'? My first thought was some kind of cyborg, but I hit some organic components, so a true cyborg would be, y'know, screaming in agony right now. Maybe they're…" Susanoo began. Then, in a sudden blur of motion, he raised his weapon and used it to bat away three incoming blades. "HEY! I was talking over here! Geez, how annoying…"

The three assassins that had once again attempted to immobilize him withdrew their weapons back into their armor, exchanging them for the energy cannons they'd been using on Fate.

"I don't think they're trying to take you alive anymore." Fate warned him, dropping into a battle stance.

"Hmmmm… that's okay." Susanoo said, his smile going distinctly evil. "I was thinking of killing them too. They're pretty disgusting creatures, and they've really managed to annoy me, so I think that ripping them to pieces until they regret having such durable bodies sounds fun. You agree, Raijin?"

 **"Very much!"** Raijin agreed.

Fate just stared at him, her jaw hanging slightly open.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. I'm not doing it to _you_." He said, rolling his eyes.

 **"We're not?"** Raijin asked in a very disappointed tone.

* * *

 

"GAAAAAAH! OUCH! Oh, OW!" Arf said. "That… was… the… worst… teleport… ever!"

"Did someone drop a refrigerator on my brain…?" Yuuno muttered, face-down on the floor.

"Don't complain yet, it's only half done." Chrono said through gritted teeth. His face was covered in sweat, and he was floating above the _Asura'_ s central power source, shrouded in so many mystic circles and glowing so brightly it was hard to look directly at him.

"Chrono? You brought us here yourself? I thought we were too far away for that…" Yuuno said dully, managing to raise his head briefly. "OW! Oh, that's too bright…"

"Sorry about the bumpy ride. I've never been to where you were, I've never been to where you're going, it was too far for me to send you in one jump, and I'm kind of cheating on the magical power supply. It's working so far, but it's also really sort of painful for everyone involved."

"Chrono, are you okay?" Arf asked in a concerned tone, noting something she hadn't before… namely, the thin trail of blood flowing out of Chrono's ear.

 _Man, I hope so_. Chrono thought. "I'm fine," He said.

"Maybe you should take a break. You're clearly handling way too much magic there. Let Yuuno take a look at you…"

"No time. Power accumulation complete, commencing dimensional transfer. Coordinates are as follows: 1174382001-222304-335564974-0199038…"

Arf continued to watch with concern in her eyes. Dimensional coordinates first, then planetary, then latitude and longitude. Once again, Arf was struck with the thought that Chrono shouldn't be doing this by himself. Fate had been able to pull off an accurate personal transport for two to the Garden of Time, but she had also spent most of her life there and her magic couldn't have been more attuned to it. When going from the Garden to Earth, they had always used the Garden's built-in transportation systems. The last time Arf had tried teleporting under only her own power, she'd just aimed for anywhere she'd been before and prayed, and it had still left her a wreck afterward. Granted, she'd been wounded, but it had also been a rather modest spell in comparison to what Chrono was trying to pull.

Still, despite the obvious pain, he clearly managed _something_ , because light rose up around the two people on the floor once again, and they vanished the same way they'd appeared. This was good, because it meant they weren't subject to the sight of Chrono unceremoniously falling out of the air to crumple on the floor.

 _Amy?_ He thought. He really, _really_ hoped he'd actually _sent_ that thought, because he frankly couldn't be sure.

 _Yes, Chrono? Did everything go all right?! Do you need help?!_ Amy responded in something approaching panic.

_Reinforcements successfully sent. But I'm trying to move right now, and not having much success. If you could please have someone from Medical come down here? I think I'm just exhausted, but I should probably get checked out anyway._

_Yes, of course, right away!_ Amy replied. _Oh, and… um… good job, Captain._

 _Thanks, Amy. Now if you'll excuse me, I could probably use some rest._ Chrono thought contentedly. _Heh. She called me 'Captain'. That was nice_.

He really hoped he hadn't sent that last thought…


	9. Monsters

_Listen closely, our strategy is as follows._ Tsukuyomi said telepathically. Nanoha chose not to question exactly how the girl had managed to establish the telepathic contact link so quickly and without even asking, but decided that she'd already let Tsukuyomi throw her off her game enough and should probably just stop being flustered when she did something weird.

_My close range capabilities are superior to yours, so I will engage them in melee and attempt to get several focused on me. They seem to want to take me alive, so I should have an easier time countering their attacks. You will then use your high-level distance attacks to isolate and destroy any that are separate from the group attacking me._

_Hmmm… well, it_ sounds _good, but that barrier they use isn't exactly magic. I couldn't really tell if I came close to breaking it before or not._

_Most likely they are using group tactics to compensate for individual weakness. I suspect that at least three of them would have to work together to repel your fire._

_And what do we do if you're wrong?_

_I am not._

_Humor me._

_Ummm… uh… well… um… I don't really know any jokes…_ Tsukuyomi thought in a somewhat confused tone. _I… I did download some files concerning Earth culture, and I believe there might have been some humorous anecdotes in them. Something about a creature native to Earth called a 'chicken' attempting to cross a path for wheeled vehicles…_

… _not that kind of humor. I was just saying that we should have a backup plan in case this one doesn't work._

 _Oh. That is a relief._ Then she attacked.

Following her sudden charge, Tsukuyomi snapped her blade to the left, knocking aside the black figure's defending hand and striking a light blow to its face. No visible damage was inflicted, unfortunately; the sword struck up a gouge in the black armor, but didn't pierce through to flesh. What _did_ happen, however, was that two others used their advantageous position to open fire on her. Purple streaks of light flew through the air… and were intercepted by pink streaks of light as Nanoha shot them out of the sky.

Tsukuyomi briefly sighed in frustration, despite the realization she'd just been saved from taking a hit. _You were supposed to launch a major attack once I had them separated. Why did you defend me?_

But rather than dissipating on impact, the pink spheres kept going and began to home in on the black killers, striking from target to target like a pinball. Each individual strike was weak, yes, but there were eight bullets in the air, and the five figures could not lower their defenses long enough to get close to each other for a coordinated effort.

In other words, the one currently battling Tsukuyomi had no means of getting support.

 _See? Sometimes it's good to have more than one plan._ Nanoha thought cheerfully.

It was not, Tsukuyomi decided, a terribly bad bit of improvisation. The assassins were definitely more dangerous than normal humans, but one-on-one, they were not much threat to a skilled mage. Rather than deciding to take the risk that her large, slow attacks really wouldn't pierce their group shields, Nanoha had used small, fast attacks and essentially gotten the same results: the fight was reduced to a one-on-one confrontation, albeit only for a few moments.

Tsukuyomi did not intend to waste them. She held out one glowing hand, and chains of turquoise light sprung into existence, trapping her target's limbs. Assured a hit, she struck without hesitation, burying Suijin into the figure's chest up to the hilt.

Almost instantly, she realized her error.

She had struck for where the heart would be on a human, but the resistance to her sword was far too great for flesh and bone. She had just driven Suijin into an artificial being… and judging by the fact that it did not visibly express any discomfort, she had struck nothing vital.

 **Defensive Skill: Magic Cancel.** That formless electric voice spoke once more, and her binding on the target's limbs shattered like glass. Instantly, one of his arms clamped on hers with surprising strength, preventing her from drawing her weapon free, while his other leveled that extendable wrist blade directly at her face. She considered exactly what she might do to escape from this situation, with Suijin, within the next two seconds…

A pink staff was thrust into the tiny space between her and the creature in black. "Shoot!" Nanoha commanded.

The brilliant blast of energy roared into the black figure's chest at point-blank range, hurling him backwards so quickly that Tsukuyomi nearly lost her grip on her device. The beam pushed him back nearly half a mile before detonating, filling the sky with pink light.

"Are you all right?" Nanoha asked warmly.

Tsukuyomi blinked a few times. Had that girl just saved her life? No, probably not her life, but she had at least spared her some serious discomfort. "… Thank you?" She said hesitantly.

Nanoha smiled brilliantly. "It was my pleasure. We're partners for right now, right?"

Tsukuyomi blinked a few more times. "Yes, but I did not expect you to honor it so fervently. I'll admit, a part of me thought your attempts at befriending me to be an effort to make me lower my guard…"

Nanoha's smile got even warmer. "Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not the kind of person who could do something that awful. I'm happy to work with you and get the chance to know you, even if we are on opposite sides most of the time. I meant it when I said that I don't want to be your enemy forever."

Tsukuyomi blinked a few _more_ times. "Oh, my… you weren't trying to deceive me at all… you really _are_ that childishly naïve. Now I'm going to feel rather guilty when I kill you…"

Nanoha's smile got a little bit nervous. "We-well, you could try _not_ killing me… I think that would be nice…" she said. Then her already tenuous grin completely vanished. "You have _got_ to be kidding…" She muttered, looking at the clearing smoke around the attacker she'd blasted.

He was, to her credit, mostly gone. Over half of the mechanical body had been simply obliterated. Both legs, one arm, and a portion of the torso were so much scrap… he must have used a shield to redirect the attack from his chest, but the beam had gone _around_ it and burned through most of his limbs. And, on a deeply disturbing note, there appeared to be organic tissue visible among the circuitry; the implications were not entirely known to Nanoha, but she knew that they were very, very bad.

But its head was still there, it was still floating, and it didn't even seem to be in pain. And most importantly, a small green gem was serenely floating above his one remaining hand.

Nanoha's eyes widened. "W-what?! But that was… Raising Heart, what happened?!"

" **Unknown… no breach detected, but, object lost. Sorry, master…"** Raising Heart said apologetically.

 _But Raising Heart was only near it for a second! How could it just override her security so quickly, without her even noticing?!_ Nanoha's mind whirled, desperately trying to think of some explanation for how this could have happened.

* * *

 

"Sir? One of the units has made a successful recovery."

"Do we know what it has?"

"Not as such, sir, but preliminary readings are very impressive indeed. Unfortunately, the unit in question is extremely damaged and likely can't protect its finding on-site."

"Well then, withdraw it immediately. Really, that's just common sense. I'm a little annoyed you needed me to tell you this."

"Actually, I gave the retrieval order thirty seconds ago, just before I contacted you, sir."

"Oh. Well, good work, then."

"Thank you, sir."

"The driver…" Tsukuyomi said, her eyes glinting. "It cannot be permitted to flee with that device."

" **Device Form, set up. Lunar Teardrops."** Suijin said. Five silver-blue bullets fired… and each met a black figure, rocketing in to take the scattered shots. Not all of them even got their shields up in time, and consequently had fist-sized holes punched through their blocking limbs, but as with their thoroughly crushed partner, they didn't seem to notice the wounds.

"No… Suijin, fire again, quickly. You too, Takamachi, we must not…"

In a strange pattern that looked more like static than any teleport Nanoha had ever seen, the half-destroyed creature vanished, drive unit and all.

"P-primary mission objective… failed. Your majesty… I'm sorry…" Tsukuyomi said in a soft and slightly unsteady voice.

* * *

 

Enlil fell to her knees, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Impossible."

" **I am certain, master. The signal from the second drive unit has disappeared. Your knights have failed."** Yggdrasil said.

"That… that's not possible. They couldn't…" Enlil said.

Never. Not once, not in her entire lifetime, nor in any of the many lifetimes they'd lived both before and after, had her guardians once failed to achieve a mission. How could it have happened now? The mages of today were… a joke. Her knights, her guardian gods, should have been like dragons fighting insects when dealing with anything the modern world had to offer. Yet they'd been damaged so badly on their first mission, and now… the driver had been taken before activation could be achieved.

Something was terribly wrong.

"Yggdrasil. You said that their diagnostics were fine, didn't you?"

" **All parameters were green."**

"Then why… what's _wrong_ with them?! This is… this isn't what they can do! These aren't my knights!" Enlil snapped.

" **I have no explanation, your highness."**

She sat for a moment, just thinking. Ever since she'd been a child, those three… Tsukuyomi, Susanoo, and Amaterasu, had always been a pillar of strength that no one had ever expected to see fall. Created as simple golems, sentient defense programs for the royal family, they had surpassed their designer's expectations at every turn and in every way. By the end of the first century of their activation, they were revered throughout the Empire, truly deserving of the nickname 'gods'. Far from being simple programs anymore, they well and truly _were_ the guardian gods of this world, and not a single soul in civilized reality had not heard of them.

The guardian gods of this world?

_This world._

"Dammit…" Enlil growled. "How could I have been so bloody stupid?!"

" **Your majesty?"**

"Get ready to support me, I'm opening the portals." Enlil said, rising to her feet. "It's past time we get my children back home before they get themselves killed by my incompetence."

* * *

 

Fate slashed her weapon at the creature's remaining arm, forcing its defenses on her.

It could only shield one direction by itself.

It had been separated from its allies.

From the opposite side, where it had no arm left to defend with, a silver axe swung in.

The massive blade ripped through the torso until it hit what was apparently the power source, causing its shield to fall. With no resistance, Bardiche ripped through it as well, the scythe and the axe meeting in the middle and passing each other on their way to the other side. The creature fell from the sky, ripped neatly in half.

Fate frowned. She hadn't meant to _do_ that, but once her swing had started she hadn't been able to halt her momentum. She was still too uncertain of the nature of the things she was fighting to be comfortable just destroying them like that. She sighed, and took a little comfort in the fact that it had already been… dead? Non-functional? She wasn't sure, which was the problem… before Bardiche had ever hit; Susanoo had struck the lethal blow, not her. She didn't take _much_ comfort, but took as much as she could.

Fate and Susanoo stood back to back, breathing heavily weapons at the ready to defend against the remaining attackers. It was a shame that only one of them was smiling, because it probably would have looked more intimidating if Fate had been matching Susanoo's psychotic grin.

"Must you be so violent?" Fate asked.

"Hey, it's not my fault they don't react to anything other than 'death'. If removal of a limb doesn't slow it down, I can't exactly afford to be gentle."

"I'll admit they are somewhat… frustrating."

"You said it. That was a lot of work to destroy just one." Susanoo agreed.

"The one that was already damaged, no less."

"They don't feel pain, they don't get tired, and getting them to stop supporting each other is like pulling your own teeth." Susanoo said. "I am having _so_ much fun."

"You're an odd one, you know."

"Oh, ye… no. Oh, no…" He said as a black portal appeared in the sky, beckoning him.

"You're being told to leave?" Fate asked. "I'd obviously prefer not to lose the assistance, but I'm in no real position to stop you."

"No, it's not that… it's just that the Gate isn't active, which means… did something happen to Tsuku? No, no, I'd know if she was hurt…" He muttered. "Still, something's gone wrong, something's gone _really_ wrong…"

"So what are you going to do?"

"I… huh. Well, I mean, I can't just ignore her majesty, but I can't leave you here all alone either, I'd never forgive myself if I just abandoned you..."

Fate smiled slightly. _That was actually rather sweet._ She thought.

"I mean, what kind of master just leaves his star pupil in the middle of such an uneven fight?"

"On second thought, you can leave. Go ahead." Fate said.

"Don't be like that, Fate! I'm really not sure what to do! It's a legitimate problem!" He whined.

"No. Really. I don't mind. Go right ahead. I'll be fine." Fate said with a smile. A big, fake smile.

"No! You know what? I'm staying! I don't even care if you want me to stay… no, it's better to say that I'm staying _because_ you don't want me to! So take _that_!" He said triumphantly.

"Okay, that's fine too." Still with a bright fake smile... although it was rapidly becoming genuine as she realized that finally _she_ was the one who had _him_ flustered. She wasn't really _angry_ anyway, so it was more just a little game than anything else.

"Well then I'm leaving after all!"

"Whatever you want to do."

"… … … _which choice will make you upset?!"_

"Neither."

Susanoo opened his mouth and closed it several times, but no words came out.

"Fine, I'll choose!" Said a third party. Fate's smile got even more genuine.

A bolt of glowing gold light shot through the sky and slammed into one of the assassins, striking it full in the back. Without any defenses ready, the blast sent the figure plummeting to the ground below, its mechanical frame badly smashed. "He stays." Arf said with a fierce grin, her arm still outstretched from her ambush. "After all, I owe him a good beating once we've mopped up these losers!"

* * *

 

"Are you going to be all right?" Nanoha asked. She sounded genuinely concerned, which just made the whole thing worse, actually.

"I… I failed… it was all my fault…" Tsukuyomi muttered.

"I'm sorry, but you need to snap out of it! They're not going to hold off forever!" Nanoha said firmly. "Now stand up! I need your help or we're both in trouble."

"… I cannot 'stand up'. We are floating in the air…" Tsukuyomi commented.

"Um… right… I guess. You know what I mean!" Nanoha said.

"Indeed." Tsukuyomi agreed. "Five targets still remain. Until this battle is completed, I will fight beside you, Nanoha Takamachi."

"Good to hear!"

Just then, a black tear opened in the sky.

"Oh, my. Well, it was nice to see you again, Miss Takamachi, but I'm being summoned… I suppose I do need to brief her majesty on this situation, so it's probably for the best. Good bye." Tsukuyomi said, floating away.

"Wh-what?! You're just leaving me here, just like that?!"

"Oh, yes… well, you are resourceful, so I'm sure you'll be fine…"

"But you just said we were partners until this fight was over! I thought we were…"

"Well, this fight _is_ over for me." Tsukuyomi said mildly. "Plus, with the drive unit gone, I really have no reason to stay. You can keep going if you want to, though… have fun…"

" _Have fun?!_ Please don't say things like that with a straight face, it's really weird!"

"But Susa would have fun, and you're so loud and cheerful like him…"

"Don't lump me together with that guy who can't even remember my name!" Nanoha protested.

Tsukuyomi sighed. "I suppose I'm sorry, but I really must be going… oh, and by the way, they are about to shoot you in the back…" she finished, floating into the portal.

"But you can't just… wait, what?" She glanced over her shoulder to see the familiar bolts of violet light incoming. "Not good, not good!" She said, desperately hoping her barrier would be up in time.

It wasn't, but that didn't mean she got hit. A wall of _green_ light burst into existence, the enemy fire bouncing harmlessly off.

"Who the… Yuuno!" Nanoha said with genuine relief.

"Hey, Nanoha. Sorry it took so long to get here." Yuuno said apologetically.

She smiled. "Considering the circumstances, I'm going to say you showed up right on time."

"This is getting out of hand, director. The number of witnesses has increased, three units are out of the fight, and now one of the targets has fled the scene." The man on the screen said. "Sir, at this point, I cannot in good conscience recommend we continue the operation as planned. We must either invest additional combat resources, or withdraw the Black Cat unit before any more are lost. Whatever you choose, I recommend you decide quickly… every lost unit leaves us a bigger mess to clean up."

The man behind the desk nodded. "We've finished securing the Lost Logia retrieved from Takamachi?"

"The command codes we acquired worked perfectly. The logia is in custody, and it's being taken to R&D as we speak… although the transfer was not exactly smooth. It's possible the device might have been damaged somewhat by all the ambient energies."

"Then we'll accept that for now. Make sure to recover all the debris, have the recon unit self-detonate, a clean sweep all around... that ought to make the old men reasonably happy. If they complain, we'll just remind them that if they want completely positive results, they really ought to give us more than twenty minutes to plan an operation."

The man on the screen nodded once. "I'll get right on it, sir."

Yuuno floated in the green circle, arms outstretched. Chains of emerald light shot from the runes and held all five of the targets in place. He closed his eyes to focus on the binding. "Oh, my, you're slippery ones, aren't you…"

**Defensive Skill: Magic Cancel.**

"No, I don't think so. At least, not all of you are getting away… Nanoha, could you please target the one on the far left? Your left, not mine." He said, pointing one open palm at the chosen target. As the magic cancel broke his chains on the others, the bind around that particular target only grew brighter. Despite its obvious efforts to escape, it was well and truly caught… at least until an enormous pink beam blasted it to kingdom come, binding and all. It wasn't destroyed, but the fact it was falling like a stone suggested it was pretty well out of the fight. She'd been certain to aim for the center of the torso rather than the 'heart' as Tsukuyomi had done, reasoning the power source would most likely be in the middle, and it seemed to have worked well.

Nanoha prepared to turn her attention to the others… if five of them couldn't pierce Yuuno's defenses with one salvo, she doubted four could, but it was best to be safe… only to have her eyes drawn back to the falling attacker as he vanished. It was the same strange, static pattern as the last one, like no other teleport she'd ever seen. It quickly spread, as well, taking in the other four, mostly intact figures. Before she could even prepare a new attack, the sky was clear.

Yuuno let out a sigh of relief. "Well, that was somewhat difficult. They were rather hard to hold on to." he turned to Nanoha with a sad smile. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. If we'd managed to arrive earlier…"

Nanoha smiled reassuringly. "I'm willing to bet that's not your fault, right?"

Yuuno smiled sheepishly. "Yeah… I just didn't want you to get mad and replace me or anything…"

Nanoha raised one eyebrow. "Replace you…? Why would I?"

Yuuno smiled warmly in return. "I don't know why I even brought it up."

The golden scythe swung, and hit empty air. "Escaped…" Fate muttered. A quick glance confirmed that the one Arf had been sparring with and the two attacking Susanoo had also vanished, along with the two broken ones that had fallen to the ground below.

"Huh. Guess they retreated." Susanoo said.

"Guess so." Arf agreed.

"Thank you for your help." Fate told him. "Arf, thank him."

"Thanks! You were a big help." Arf said cheerfully.

"Oh. You're welcome." He replied. "I don't suppose you'll just let me retreat in peace…?"

"Sorry, but I have a job to do too." Fate continued, dropping back into a combat stance.

"As for me, I just kind of want to rough you up a little." Arf said, with a wicked grin.

"Yeah, I thought so." He said, responding in kind.

"Excuse me…" A quiet, polite voice said from near the still-open black portal.

Tsukuyomi emerged from the opening and serenely floated towards Fate. Fate tensed herself for combat, but the girl simply stopped and bowed to her. The sheer unexpectedness of the gesture left her briefly taken aback, and she blinked a few times in confusion.

She gently said, "Hello, but I'm afraid it's time to leave. These doors are difficult to hold open for very long, so I really must bring Susa home before he wastes any more time. Thank you for playing with my brother, and I hope to see you again. Have a nice day." She then, without another word, reached out her hand to grab Susanoo by the ear and pull him back with her, ignoring his protests and shouts of pain.

She floated back past Fate, stopping again to briefly bow. She also bowed to Arf this time, saying, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there before. Have a nice day."

"Ow! Tsuku, ow! Let me go, this isn't funny, I'm not done yet!" Susanoo protested.

"We've been summoned. It is time to go home…" She said calmly.

"I can fly by myself! Ow, stop it! You're gonna rip my ear off, let go!"

Completely ignoring him, Tsukuyomi just continued dragging him by his ear until they'd entered the portal, which closed behind them.

"… what just happened?" Arf asked.

Fate, replied. "We… we probably should have stopped that."

"Um… yeah." Arf agreed.

* * *

 

Susanoo grinned in an embarrassed manner once Tsukuyomi let go of his ear. "Sorry I'm late, I had to deal with some things before I headed out, and…"

He was cut off when Enlil took two steps forward and slapped him across the face.

"Y-your majesty? What was…"

He was then cut off again when she enfolded him in a hug, her cloak billowing around them. He cast a confused glance at Tsukuyomi… who, he finally noticed, had a fading palm-print on one cheek, and looked rather uncomfortable.

"You knew, didn't you? You knew. It's never been an issue before, but while you're separated from this place by the void…" She whispered. "How much power loss is there? You're restricted to what, one-third? One-quarter?"

He gulped and looked to Tsuku for aid. She just shook her head.

"… one-fifth of maximum ability. Maybe a little bit less… it's hard to be sure."

"AAAAAH! You… you _idiots!_ How could you?! How could you let me risk you like that, how could you?!"

He smiled sadly and wrapped his arms around her. _Gods, she's shaking. And she's so tiny… It's just like when she was a kid and she used to hide in my chambers because she had nightmares, poor thing._ It was times like these that reminded him just how much this whole situation had hurt her. She did a good job of hiding it most of the time, but now that she'd been given a scare, the emotional damage was starting to leak through. "Lil, it's okay. It's not your fault, we're the ones who didn't say anything."

"Why didn't you?! You could have been killed! I never would have put you at such risk if I'd…"

"Yes, you would have. It wouldn't have made a bit of difference." Susanoo cut her off. "We're the only real operatives you have right now. You would have had to use us anyway, so we didn't see any reason to worry you. Don't you dare blame yourself, because we all did what we had to do, so it's not your fault."

"But…"

"It's all right." Tsukuyomi broke in with the ghost of a smile. "We don't have a problem with putting our lives at risk. We exist solely to serve the royal family, and you are the only living member. We are instruments of your will, nothing more and nothing less. If you ask it, we would gladly walk into certain death to safeguard your wishes, your majesty."

Enlil rubbed a tear from her eye. "You… you two…"

"Oh, don't tear up yet." Susanoo said dryly. "We might talk pretty, but we just failed you. If you start praising us when we don't deserve it, my pride won't be able to handle it."

"You didn't fail. You can't be expected to perform to your old standards, since you aren't at your old level..."

"A lack of raw power is not an excuse we would accept, even were this a situation which could be excused. There is no way for us to apologize for this disgrace." Tsukuyomi intoned.

"I'll accept the blame this time… I haven't been taking things very seriously. You know how I get…." Susanoo said.

"I am the one who failed to protect the drive unit, first from the Bureau mage, and then from the thieves who stole it from her. The fault for this failure is mine." Tsukuyomi said serenely.

"Nah, it was my fault for leaving you alone. I should have been by your side, but I was off screwing around…"

"You had no choice. We needed to separate to escape that barrier. Had I reacted more quickly to the initial threat, that might not have been necessary, however."

"If I'd put more effort into it, I could have broken myself out too. I never should have…"

Enlil laughed, a high, sincere giggle. "Oh… oh my…" she said, rubbing a tear that was half sadness, half mirth from her eye. "Are you two really fighting over which of you is the bigger failure?"

"No, it's just that it really _was_ my…"

"Not as such, no, but I feel I could have done…"

Enlil raised a hand. "If I can't blame myself, you can't either, understood? And that's an order," She said, her composure mostly regained.

Tsukuyomi nodded once. "… understood, majesty. For now, we will declare this loss to be a result of our unit still being only two-thirds complete."

"Oh yeah! I guess we can't really be blamed for taking a loss when our leader isn't in the field with us…" Susanoo said thoughtfully. "Hmmm… well, this is kind of weird. I was looking forward to seeing her after so long, but she's the kind of person where that excitement starts to fade the more you remember what she's really like, you know?"

"We'll need her. We are now restricted to only four Gates. Success is still completely possible, but the fewer we have, the less likely it becomes. We can't risk a failure of this magnitude happening again," Tsukuyomi intoned. "Wake her up."

"Well, I guess we should, at that," He agreed reluctantly, hefting his weapon and walking towards the black gem she floated in.

 **"Lightning Unit, please cease. Flame unit's repair cycle is only 98% complete. It will not be completed for the next ten standard hours."** Yggdrasil warned.

"Suuuuuure." He said. Then he drew back his arm and swung his axe as hard as he could.

Instantly, there was an explosion of white light that filled the entire chamber so intensely that even the perpetual gloom of this world was briefly chased away. When it cleared, an attractive twenty-something blue-haired woman, naked except for a red pendant, was standing in the place of the shattered crystal. Her arm was outstretched, her hand wrapped around the shaft where she had caught the weapon, halting the blade within inches of her neck.

Susanoo smiled. "I _knew_ it. Forget 'ninety-eight percent', you were just sleeping in again."

Tsukuyomi gave the tiniest of frowns. "How disgraceful… you really do never change, sister…"

The blue haired woman stretched and yawned. "And I was having such a nice dream, too…" Amaterasu said.


	10. Bright New Dawn

Amaterasu smiled cheerfully, a warm, childish grin that seemed to make the room brighter. "Wasn't that a bit rough, Susa? Even if did extend my nap a teensy bit, there was no need to smash my regeneration crystal all to pieces."

"Hey, I'm not the one who was sleeping in after she was finished healing. If you'd woken up a few hours ago, like you _should_ have, we could have gone out in full strength and might not have lost the…"

"Oh, I just woke up and Susa is blaming his failures on me? That's not very nice." Amaterasu said. Her smile didn't change, but it still seemed less friendly somehow. "Because Yggdrasil has been kind enough to download the mission reports to me while I slept, and from what I'm understanding, the two of you chose to split up. You know that you fight better as a team, so what exactly were you thinking? And then Susa played around with some silly girl while Tsuku released the Drive unit without even checking the skies for hostiles first. How amateurish... really, having stupid siblings makes my life a lot harder, you know."

"W-well, um… it wasn't quite that…"

Amaterasu continued, "And then, rather than regrouping, you actually decided to forge an alliance with the _enemy_ rather than going to support your own sibling. Tsuku, at least, was limited by a need to stay close to the mage with the Drive unit until she saw a chance to reclaim it. But _you,_ Susa… you don't have that excuse, do you _?_ No, no you don't." It was truly odd to witness, actually. Neither her smile nor the tone of her voice had noticeably changed, and yet somehow they now seemed to be projecting an aura of malice.

"But I… Ammy, I couldn't just…"

"Hmmm? You couldn't just…? Couldn't just do your duty? Couldn't just defeat a small child in single combat? Couldn't fend off a simple attack without the aid of that same small child? Couldn't put off your need to make every single battle more complicated than it needs to be for even a few weeks?" Amaterasu said. Her smile brought a shark to mind. "Please enlighten me, Susanoo, because it really sounds like there's quite a lot you couldn't do."

"I… I… I…" Susanoo stammered. Finally, he hung his head. "You don't have to tell me that. I've already apologized to her majesty for my actions. This won't happen again, sir."

"Oh, you _apologize._ " Amaterasu said.

The room fell silent for several seconds.

"Well, that's fine then!" Amaterasu chirped suddenly. The malice in the air disappeared instantly, as though someone had reached inside her head and just switched her brain to 'happy'. "Don't worry, I forgive you too!"

Susanoo looked _more_ scared. "Oh no."

Nobody saw her move. One moment she was completely still… the next she had her brother enfolded in a bear hug.

Unfortunately, she was noticeably taller than him.

Even more unfortunately, she didn't have any clothes on.

"MMMMMMMMFFFFF!" Susanoo said in barely restrained panic. He would have said more, but he was having some problems with oxygen flow.

"Oh, Susa." Amaterasu sighed, a single tear running down her face. She would have looked quite poignant and noble in very nearly any other situation. "You know I can't stay angry at you, especially not when you're wounded like this, poor thing. Come, bask in the healing power of your older sister's pure and wonderful love."

"HHHMMMF! HMFM!" Susanoo said, attempting to fight his way free. He did not succeed, and indeed Amaterasu did not appear to notice. After a few moments of this, his efforts became noticeably weaker and his body began to slump. The back of his neck and his hands, his only visible skin, began to turn the same shade of blue as his hair.

"Pure and wonderful," Amaterasu said again, sighing contentedly.

"Big sister… I don't think he can breathe…" Tsukuyomi said mildly.

"… … … oops." Amaterasu said. She then unceremoniously dropped Susanoo to the floor.

"GAH! Ah, ah, ah…" Susanoo panted, gasping for air. " _You!_ You haven't changed! You haven't changed at _all_!" He said with horror in his eyes. "You're scary when you're angry, and then when you're happy you're _even worse!_ "

Amaterasu blinked a few times. "… you want another hug, then?"

"No!"

"Oh, Susa… it's cute that you missed me, but I haven't greeted Tsuku yet. I can't play favorites, you know, a good big sister has to be equally loving to all her siblings. It's a rule."

He raised an accusing pointer finger. "I don't care about… you're still a… you still do things like… I'm your brother, you might recall!"

She smiled brilliantly. "That's why it's important to show my love and affection! Physical contact is very important to a healthy family, you know."

" _Then put some clothes on first!_ "

"Eh?" She said, looking down at herself as if only noticing just now that her only article of clothing was a necklace. "Oh, I guess I never got dressed." She said simply. After thinking about it for a few seconds, she smiled again and said, "Well, that's okay. It's no problem to spoil Susa every once in awhile."

His mouth opened and closed several times before any words came out. It wasn't his fault, really. He just had a fairly straight-forward brain, and he reacted best to normal, straight-forward things. Amaterasu was very straight-forward, of course, but she was rarely 'normal'. " _… … … … spoil?!"_ He finally managed to choke out.

"Aw, Susa missed his big sister so much that the emotions are overpowering him? It's okay… like I said, his emotional, impulsive nature is one of his cute points." She said cheerfully.

He hurriedly took several steps away from her. "Pervert!" he hissed. "Dirty old man!"

"I'm not a man!" She pouted. "Really, a good brother wouldn't say such mean things."

"And a good sister would be more like Tsuku and _less like you_."

"Ooooh, that's right, Tsuku! I still haven't said hello to my precious baby sister!" Then, without the tiniest warning, she _lunged._

Without the slightest change in expression, Tsukuyomi stepped aside and allowed her older sister to slam face-first into the wall behind her. "Disgraceful. If we're going by childish antics… aren't you even worse than Susa is, older sister?" She inquired calmly.

"Ooooow…" Amaterasu moaned, rubbing her forehead. "No, no, see, my antics are _off_ the battlefield. An appropriate setting makes them okay!"

Tsukuyomi's expression remained blank, although her voice was slightly chilly. "And looking back… you never did answer the point that our mission would have been a success if you had not overslept…"

"Ha, ha… so you noticed that?" Amaterasu asked in a slightly embarrassed tone. "I see Tsuku is as observant as ever... and she's just as merciless as I remember, too. But it's okay, because that cold and aloof attitude is definitely one of her cute points. Ah, she's as adorable as she ever was, how nice…" she sighed.

"Oh look. They're all awake. All three of them." Enlil said to nobody in particular, in a long-suffering tone.

" **Shall I have a medical drone prepare you a mild painkiller, your highness?"**

"Yes, that sounds wonderful, thank you." Enlil said, reasoning she'd almost certainly have a headache within the next hour or two.

"Oooooh, so you're the Twilight Queen? Which Enlil are you, again? There were seventeen I can think of."

"House Te Larsea, third to bear the name from that family."

"Oooh, you were one of the good ones!" Amaterasu said joyfully. "It's wonderful to serve you again, and might I add I love your new form? It's just so… oh. OH!" Amaterasu said, eyes widening with joy. "I know! I know! I know the robes are ceremonial, but we simply _have_ to get you a cute frilly dress, like Tsukuyomi's! Oh, the two of you together in such cute dresses would just be too lovely for words…" she trailed off, apparently caught up in the happy images.

Enlil shuddered. "You really _haven't_ changed, have you?" She said.

"Not even slightly." Amaterasu readily agreed.

" _Pervert!_ " Susanoo accused again, walking over to hide behind Tsukuyomi. "You are nothing but a pervert!"

Amaterasu pouted. "You're being mean again. I'm not _nothing but_ a pervert!"

"So you admit you are one!"

"Well, yes, but I also have other interests is my point." Amaterasu said frankly.

Enlil rubbed her temples. A headache within the next couple _hours_? Who had she been kidding? "Children. As enthralling as this has been, we _do_ have some rather pressing business to deal with."

"It couldn't wait?" Amaterasu pouted. "There aren't going to be any missions for awhile, right? I don't mind if it's important, but if it's not a field assignment I don't really feel like working today. I only just woke up, and work doesn't sound very fun, so I was thinking of taking the day off to play with Susa and Tsuku."

" _We have pressing business to deal with_." Enlil said, her tone suggesting that someone would be losing their head in short order if she wasn't listened to.

Amaterasu sighed. "Of course, highness. I stand ready to serve."

"That's good. Now, as my first official order… would you _please_ get dressed?"

"Eh? Oh, that's right, I haven't done that yet." Amaterasu said, as if genuinely surprised by this fact. "Oh well, it's all right."

"No. No, it really isn't."

* * *

 

Yuuno blinked. "Repeat that. Slowly."

"They were with the Bureau." Chrono said again, simply. He was sitting up in his cot in the Medical bay, although the need for that was questionable. The biggest problem had just been magic deprivation, so he mostly only needed to rest anyway… the ship's medic had given him permission to leave so long as he made no further attempts to use magic for at least twenty-four hours, and to be sure to get as much sleep as possible. "It's only a theory, I suppose, but at the moment it's the most compelling one that I have."

"That…." Nanoha said. "But they were actually trying to… that _can't_ be…" She stopped, and sighed sadly. "I was about to say it wasn't possible for the Bureau to do something like this. But we know better than that."

"I don't like it either. But like you said, we've all seen that individual Bureau officers can have their own personal agenda, and… well, the TSAB is a fairly nebulous organization. There isn't too much oversight, especially over the higher ranks. It's not that hard for influential officers to discreetly procure funding and resources... a lot of worlds are uninhabited, and clever people can exploit resources found on such worlds without being noticed. Admiral Graham had enough private resources to construct the Durandal and create that entire elaborate scenario with the Book of Darkness… it's not impossible to believe that another officer might have the ability to gain a task force of those creatures, or the funds to purchase them from someone."

"Speaking of… what exactly where those nasty things? They were machines, but alive, but they didn't really _act_ alive... I've never seen anything like them." Arf asked.

Chrono fell silent. He stayed that way for several long seconds. "Well... we didn't recover any debris, and a lot of the sensor data you brought back was corrupted, probably by the same jamming field that kept us out of the fight. But from your eyewitness accounts, and the little bits of analysis we managed to recover, we have a pretty solid theory. And before I start, let me say that you're not going to like it." Chrono said. "Speaking frankly, it's rather nightmarish. Amy?"

"Do I have to?" Amy said, shifting nervously in her chair.

"You're the information officer. Inform."

"Fine, but just you remember that it creeps me out." Amy said, "Okay, to start off... you girls know what I mean when I say 'combat cyborg', right?"

"Sure. A person with mechanical enhancements, designed to allow them to fight on a mage's level without using magic." Fate said instantly.

"… yes, that's right!" Nanoha said, not quite as instantly.

"I knew that!" Arf said, even less instantly.

Yuuno smiled.

"Riiiiight. Anyway, what you girls were fighting down there was… well…" Amy said delicately. "Imagine if you took the basic concept of 'combat cyborg' and handed it to someone who had the morals of a poisonous reptile. You'd basically get those things."

"I realize I'm probably going to regret asking this, but…" Nanoha said cautiously, "Could you go into a little more detail?"

Amy turned to Chrono. "Chrono, this is the creepy part."

Chrono sighed. "Fine, fine. Okay, you know a cyborg is created when a person is modified with mechanical implants. This is what happens when you replace too much, and the 'cyborg' in question isn't anything even remotely human anymore. The majority of organic tissue is replaced... or they could even do it in reverse, _starting_ with a mechanical combat frame and adding the _organic_ components. The resulting creature is basically just a robotic drone, but has just enough organic tissue to maintain a linker core. The general idea is to have the machine use the donor's linker core as a power source, since even a core that couldn't produce a viable mage can still power an effective cyborg if there isn't too much organic tissue to risk burning out."

The room fell very silent.

"And the… 'donors'?" Yuuno asked, although his expression said that he knew the answer and was only asking so that nobody else would have to.

Chrono looked at the floor. "The human mind doesn't respond well to cybernetic implants under most circumstances. Small adjustments are no problem, but when you get to the extremes, things like the skeletal and muscular alterations needed for a combat model, they tend to result in mental disorders, even outright insanity, making the cyborg unstable and useless. To avoid this, the operations need to be performed over a period of years, on artificial humans specifically bred for the purpose... or the brain needs to be one of the organs 'replaced'." He looked up, and his eyes seemed very cold. "They didn't feel pain, correct? Real cyborgs can. If these things couldn't, that's a sign that there's no human mind remaining in them to feel _anything_. They might move around, but they're already dead in every way that matters."

You could have heard a pin drop in the room.

"Th… that…" Nanoha said. Far from her usual demeanor, she looked lost and confused. "How could… _why_ would anyone…"

"Because it's faster than the other way." Amy broke in, sounding slightly nauseous. "Like Chrono said, a real combat cyborg takes years to develop. Because only specially prepared bodies can handle the implants, you have to grow your own humans from scratch, and that takes a long time. This process can be used on anyone."

Chrono patted her on the shoulder to bid her to stop, and continued on his own, "With this method you can gather up people that nobody will miss and turn any… random drifter or wanted criminal into a viable anti-mage weapon in a matter of weeks. They're not as impressive as true cyborgs, especially mentally... they're no smarter than any other combat drone. But that can be partially countered by networking them to the same tactical computer and making them work in teams. It's a relatively efficient process." He said with a bitter smile. "It is also ghoulish. Grotesque. Among the most vile of forbidden sciences, knowledge that should never have been discovered."

"I've heard the theory..." Yuuno said. "But I've never heard of someone actually making one, and not just for the ethical issues. There are certainly plenty of criminals who'd be perfectly willing to kill for soldiers like that, but that sort of technology is still incredibly complex and expensive. And you really believe a Bureau officer would have…"

"The jamming field gave them away. They were attacking our systems directly, and there's no way they could have done so without leaving a trace unless they already knew all the security codes. The fact that one of them was able to infiltrate Raising Heart's systems only makes my theory more valid… that device was in Bureau care for several days after the Wolkenritter smashed it. Getting its control codes without being detected would not have been simple, but someone clever could have pulled it off. I don't want to say that internal treachery is the _only_ possibility... but it definitely strikes me as the most likely one."

Fate's expression was coldly analytical. "Admiral Graham's methods left much to be desired, but he was at least attempting to defeat a known threat. This faction seems to be even less discerning in their methods, and I doubt their motivation is as... selfless."

Chrono nodded once. "That seems prudent. Those two mages are artificial beings, and their weapons are more advanced than Bureau standard... and that's not even considering those Logia-gems. Who knows what knowledge could be gained from examining their possessions and bodies? It could be a tremendous benefit to anybody who could pull it off."

"But that's such a broad goal. Wouldn't pretty much anybody be interested in something like that?" Nanoha asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. We know for sure it's a high-ranking officer to have the resources to pull something like this off, but beyond that, the only person I can be 100% sure it _isn't_ would be my mother." Chrono said. With a trace of sadness in his voice, he continued, "There are a great many friends I would like to _hope_ are not involved, but… well… ever since the Book of Darkness incident, I've learned that what I hope is true doesn't always turn out to _be_ true."

"So… how do we handle this?" Fate said, asking the question on all their minds.

Chrono shrugged. "Unfortunately, we didn't manage to recover a single shred of evidence. None of the debris from the destroyed cyborgs, no trace of a data trail in either Raising Heart or the _Asura._ It was a surprisingly clean operation, considering how blunt it was in execution. I can ask Internal Affairs to begin an investigation, but beyond that… until we get some solid evidence, what we've discussed here will be just one possible theory."

Nanoha sighed and closed her eyes. "To think that someone would use such twisted methods over such a tiny goal... how could anyone be so heartless?" Her eyes opened, and that familiar determined spark lit them up. "I'd like to hope we're wrong, I really would. But whoever was truly responsible, the only thing that I can be completely certain of is that nobody this cruel can be trusted with the Logia they've already taken, much less anything else they might be after. We absolutely _have_ to stop them!"

Chrono nodded once. "And preferably, we need to do it quickly. Because I can guarantee they'll be trying something like this again..."

* * *

 

"If you're ready, I have the mission report prepared, sir." said the young woman, stepping into the office. Like the man on the screen had been, she was unremarkable… average height, average build, average appearance. The sort of person who would be forgotten within seconds by any person she met on the street. Which was, of course, the point, given that being forgotten was a major part of Section Black's duties.

"Go right ahead. Start with the status of the Black Cats." The Director said.

"Of the twelve units sent, all but three suffered some minor damage. Two were completely destroyed on-site, but we managed to recover the remains successfully. The one that recovered the Lost Logia from agent Takamachi was damaged beyond our ability to recover and had to be scrapped for parts. Another was heavily damaged, but should be usable with sufficient time for repairs."

"And they didn't successfully eliminate even a single target… so much for 'perfect assassins' eh? Or maybe it's just that the official files don't do Takamachi and Testarossa justice."

"Actually, the real problem seems to be that the two unknowns worked _with_ them until Harlaown found a way around the cloak, sir."

"Ah, yes… that assisted mass teleport? That was clever of him. A bit risky, but that's not bad if it pays off. The Bureau needs officers like him. See if we can't get a commendation slipped into his file. And those two enforcers, too… they deserve it. Their deaths would have been even more of a waste than I initially thought." The Director said. "And as for the targets, I'm beginning to think we took the wrong option, here. Again, blame the old men for calling us into the game so late and with so little notice."

"Sir?"

"If they can work with Bureau personnel, we might be able to negotiate for what we want. Let's face facts… this operation has been a disaster so far. With no time to prepare, we reacted with all the subtlety of a hammer and our performance has suffered for it. That Logia was not worth the exposure we've suffered, no matter how valuable it turns out to be. If we can, I'd prefer to get the rest rather more quietly."

"Yes, sir. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go oversee the efforts to reprogram the device we captured. This is the sort of thing we'd normally call in the Doctor for, but he is unavailable and…"

"We rely on him too much as it is, particularly considering he's not really an operative of this organization in the first place. I honestly prefer running this op without him. It reminds him that he isn't indispensable."

"Yes, sir." The girl said. She bowed once and stepped out of the office.

The Director leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment. Then, once he had carefully considered his words, he opened a message dictation program and began to speak.

"Okay, so here are my thoughts on the last two missions and the next step we should take." Amaterasu began, images taken from the previous two battles floating in the air in front of her. She had activated her barrier jacket after several more impassioned pleas to put on some clothing; a bodysuit, boots, gloves, and a jacket, mostly in red but with a gold pattern running along the seams and merging into an angular glyph on the center of her chest. Currently she, Enlil, Precia, and both of her fellow guardians were convened around a conference table to discuss their next moves.

* * *

 

"Okay, let's start with a review of enemy personnel." Amaterasu said. Instantly, the images over the table refocused to close-ups of Nanoha, Fate, Yuuno, and Arf. "For starters, these girls are definitely very cute, and so is that little boy. But the problem is that they're too young. Cute is all well and good, but they just aren't really relationship material until they mature a bit more. If I'm interested in younger people, Susa and Tsuku are much better because they're older than they look."

"Stop. Doing. That!" Susanoo begged.

"But it's all right. Even if they're too young to do anything with, they're still nice to look at, so that's good…"

"You are sick, you know that? _Sick._ "

"And _then_ I found my diamond in the rough. Just take a look at _her_!" Amaterasu finished with a gesture at an image of Arf. She let out a contented sigh. "Simply gorgeous. That fantastic body. Those piercing eyes. Those _adorable_ ears! And look at those clothes… she's a fiery one, no doubt about it, a real wild woman. Oh, I think I'm in love..." Amaterasu gushed. "Well, that was a good meeting. If anyone needs me, I'm going to be taking a quick nap, so…"

"… Amaterasu. Two things." Enlil interrupted.

"Yes, highness?"

"First of all, this was a tactical discussion, not an opportunity for you to ogle the opposition for potential love connections."

"… well, that doesn't sound very fun. Battle planning is a lot of work, and I really did just wake up, so…"

Enlil began to glow, an ominous scarlet aura centered around a small black bracelet on her right hand.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Amaterasu said, holding up her hands in supplication.

"Glad to hear it. Second… is it absolutely necessary for Tsukuyomi to be sitting in your lap during formal war meetings?!"

"It's important to bond with my baby sister." Amaterasu said primly, nuzzling the top of Tsukuyomi's head with her chin.

Tsuku, for her part, looked distinctly underwhelmed. "There's such a thing… as too much affection…" She said.

"Not that I'm aware of." Amaterasu said cheerfully. "But okay, moving on to some actual tactics. Frankly? I don't think we'll have much of a problem with these people. They're more like police than real soldiers, and they're really expecting a specific pattern from us by this point, so I think that with some additional resources and a little pattern-breaking, I can pull off something nice."

"What sort of additional resources do you want? We're rather limited in our capabilities right this moment."

"Oh, not really… the three of us can't go full-force for now, but I think we might have some other options if we kind of cheat a little. If everything works like I plan, the problem will be _time_ , not firepower. I'll let you know for sure once Yggdrasil finishes that search I asked it to run."

"As fascinating as all this is, why am I here?" Precia asked harshly.

"Well, two things. First off, those cybernetic organisms weren't in any of the files we stole from that Bureau ship. I was wondering if you had any information about that?"

"Well, it's not any technology I've ever used extensively, but there was a scientist who I worked a few projects with… rumors said he was experimenting with combat cyborg technology on the side, and that he may have even finished a few working models. This isn't him, though."

"You're sure?"

Precia smirked slightly. "Trust me… if this were the man I'm thinking of, those cyborgs would have had a giant golden 'JS' emblazoned on them, and he would have personally opened a communications channel with you in order to gloat or spout some faux-philosophic drivel that he doesn't even actually believe. He's got something of a taste for the dramatic." She said dryly. "Still, I suppose there's no reason he couldn't have sold off some very early prototypes, or even just the blueprints, to fund his research…"

Amaterasu looked crestfallen. "So this could be anyone with enough money, then? Oh, that is so annoying!" She whined, like a child who hadn't gotten the birthday present they wanted. The expression shifted back to a bright smile almost instantly, though. "Oh, well! I suppose that surprises make life more interesting, in the long run!"

Precia fought the urge to roll her eyes. "And the second reason you needed me?"

"Well, you're a mage, right? It's about time you started pulling your own weight, and I'm a tad short on personnel, so you're in."

"Pull my own-?! This entire plan is dependent on _my_ research! I've already pulled my own _weight_ a thousand times over!"

Amaterasu thought for a second. "Yeah, but what have you done for us lately?"

"How _dare_ …"

"You want your kid back, right? That's your big motivation? I like that, I can appreciate that, that's really sweet. Family is a wonderful thing." Amaterasu said happily. "But… we really have no real reason to _do_ it, do we? I mean, I suppose her majesty probably gave her word to you or something like that, but… well, who's to say she couldn't break it? I don't see any real benefit for us in keeping it, do you? So it would really be in your best interest to stay on our good side, wouldn't it? Otherwise, your little mother-daughter reunion scheme may be cancelled, and that would just be so sad."

Precia fell silent rather quickly.

"Well? Are you going to help or what? My word, you aren't very cooperative… I guess it's her majesty's fault. She's a diplomat, so she's too, well, _diplomatic_ with you. I think it's good for everyone to remind you that if you refuse any little thing we ask, you'll be killed and your child will just stay right where she is." Amaterasu said, that chipper smile never wavering.

Enlil smiled slightly. "Actually, I've been rather blunt in expressing that fact. She just seems to keep forgetting…"

"Huh. Well, maybe you should just dispose of her? I'm sure we could handle it for you..."

"I will… assist you." Precia growled. "I'm not a combat mage by profession, but…"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll do just fine! And might I add I love that dress? You must tell me where you got it." Amaterasu said happily. "Okay then, battle plans. Well, I'd prefer to wait until we find another Gate before we move again, but once we're ready, I have a really fun idea. Before I get started, though, I really ought to ask… how many of those portals can you open in rapid succession, your highness?"

"Well… I haven't exactly been testing my limits, to avoid ripping too many holes in reality. But based on what I've done so far, six or seven, as long as I only have to hold each open for a minute or so. I can manage up to about ten minutes each if it's only one or two portals."

"Oooooh, that's nice, that's wonderful, that's more than I need. Four… no, five should be plenty; three for entry and two for escape." Amaterasu said, clapping her hands together to emphasize how nice and wonderful this was. "Okay, I have just one tiny question more. These portals, milady… how _big_ can they be?"

* * *

 

The meeting wound down fairly quickly; besides the new obstacles, there wasn't a great deal to discuss. The central mission had not changed, and more evidence was needed before hunting down the strange black cyborgs would even become an option. After discussing some brief matters of tactics and potential future deployment strategies, Chrono chose to dismiss his command crew.

"All right. I think we can back off high alert for the moment, so why don't all of you get some rest? You're going to be needing it," he suggested.

"As long as you make sure to follow your own advice… I'd say you need rest more than we do." Fate said firmly.

Chrono sighed sadly. "I know, but I'm not going to be able to for a few hours yet. I've sent in a preliminary report to headquarters, but they're going to want to talk to me at length regarding our suspicions. I never should have taken this promotion; it's nothing but trouble…" He sighed and lowered himself from his bed to the floor. "Hmmm… my legs are still a little unsteady. Amy, do they have any sort of…" Before he could even finish the sentence, Amy handed him a cane the medical ward kept for patients with injured legs. "… oh. Thank you."

"The doctor said to take it easy, remember. You shouldn't strain yourself even a little bit." Amy said. "That was a pretty risky move you took…"

Chrono did not smile, but his tone of voice suggested he should have been. "Hmmm… then maybe you should have had medical standing by, instead of waiting for me to call for them…"

Amy smacked him upside the head. "I panicked, you little twerp! Besides, what was I supposed to tell them?! 'Hurry up, because Captain Chrono might be about to explode his own head'? Even the best doctor can't fix an exploded head, Chrono!"

"Ow! Amy, quit being insubordinate."

"Then quit picking on me!"

"Awwww. Aren't they so cute together?" Arf said, an utterly wicked smile on her face. "What an adorable couple…"

Chrono turned to her, his eyes as cold as the darkest depths of space. " _How's obedience school coming along?_ " He asked.

"… I'll shut up now."

Fate blinked in confusion. "Obedience… school?" She asked.

"Ah. Heh, heh… funny story…" Arf said, blushing furiously. "You see, this pirate sort of asked me to…" she began.

Before she could finish the highly awkward sentence, the comm system beeped to indicate an incoming transmission.

"Oh! Look at that! Something's happening, better answer it, Chrono!" Arf said hurriedly.

"No, I want to hear about…" Fate began.

" _Answer the freakin' message, Chrono!_ " Arf said desperately.

"… you aren't getting out of this, you know." Fate said bluntly.

" ** _Chrono!"_** Arf practically snarled.

"Fine, fine…" Chrono said. He raised a hand, and a screen flickered into existence at the end of his palm. A rather plain looking man wearing large glasses appeared on it.

"Captain Harlaown? My name is Lieutenant Junior Grade Toya Lexus, with Fleet Operations Command, sir."

"Hmmmm…" Chrono said thoughtfully.

"Is… is something wrong, sir?"

"It's just that I've heard that name somewhere, and I'm not sure where. Are you by any chance famous for something, Lieutenant?"

"Not that I'm aware of, sir." The young man said.

"Well, it will come to me. Please deliver your report, Lieutenant."

"Very well, sir." The plain young man on the screen raised a sheet of paper to his face and read off, "As of 1800 hours today, Midchildan standard time, Captain Chrono Harlaown of the _Asura_ is relieved of command of case file #12462."

"… … … … … … … what." Chrono said.

"Fleet Operations have reviewed your report on the case, and they have determined that given your overall lack of command experience and your suspicions that the operation may have been compromised by corrupt officials from within the Bureau itself, that it would be prudent to transfer authority over the case to a more experienced commanding officer. You are to transfer command of the vessel over to their command and act as their second-in-command for the remainder of the case."

"… … … … … … … _what_." Chrono said.

Fate, foreseeing a problem, said, "It… it's not so bad, Chrono."

"Right!" Nanoha agreed, not entirely sure whether she should be smiling or not… should she be showing sympathy, or would that just make him angry? "I mean, it sounds like we're still on the case, they're just transferring in a new commander…"

" _How dare they?!_ " Chrono snapped suddenly. "What, exactly, prompted this decision?! Because as far as I can tell, between being sent on the case _late_ and the fact that we were just openly _betrayed…"_

"Allegedly betrayed, sir."

"…I'd say I'm doing better than an officer with ten times my experience! So please tell me, Lieutenant, exactly what prompted Fleet Command to stab me in the back like this?!"

"Sir, please understand that I had no say in this decision."

Chrono sighed, taking several deep breaths to calm himself down. "Of course, of course. I apologize, Lieutenant, it's been a very trying day. Would you kindly inform me of whom I should file my formal complaint to?"

Lieutenant Lexus actually showed some genuine emotion for the first time… unfortunately, it appeared to be embarrassment. "Actually, sir, the officer in question arrived on board the _Asura_ approximately five minutes ago, so you should perhaps address your complaints to them…"

" _What?!_ Regulations state I'm supposed to receive at least twelve hours notice before a change in command! Furthermore, why would they come aboard my ship without telling me, and why would the teleport crews not inform me of an incoming VIP?!" Chrono snapped.

Lieutenant Lexus sighed. "I'm afraid all of the above was a direct order from the Admiral. She ordered us to bend regulations to surprise you, sir."

Chrono's eyes widened as he considered the implications. 'The Admiral'. ' _She'_ had wanted to surprise him. _No… it couldn't be…_ he thought desperately. Just then, as if to shatter all his hopes, he remembered where he'd heard Lieutenant Lexus's name before.

"Lieutenant, you wouldn't happen to be…" He began.

Lexus sighed again. "She ordered me not to tell you, sir, but yes… I've been her attaché for two months now. Again, I'm sorry, sir."

"No. No, no, no…" Chrono said.

Amy started to laugh. No… everyone in the room seemed to be very carefully looking at anywhere but Chrono's face, and seemed to be making an intense effort to hide their mouths. So they were _all_ doing it, it was just that Amy wasn't bothering to hide it.

The door to the medical ward slid open. "Hiiiiiii, Chrono!" Admiral Lindy said cheerfully, a brilliant smile shining on her face.

The vast majority of the population of the room stopped even trying to contain their laughter. Fate, at least, patted him on the shoulder… but she did it with sort of a goofy smile on her face.

"Captain Chrono Harlaown. Child genius. Completed the TSAB Fleet academy's three-year curriculum in _one_ year. Completed the one-year officer training course in three months. Became on official Enforcer at the age of twelve, the youngest ranked officer of his generation. Made Captain of the flagship _Asura_ at the age of fifteen, also the youngest of his generation." Chrono said in a mechanical tone. "All of that is from my personnel file, you know. It looked very impressive. And now it's going to be joined by 'And on his first official mission as a captain, his mommy had to come save him'."

Lindy patted him on the head affectionately. "Oh, Chrono. I'm sure it won't use the word 'mommy'."


	11. Loading the Gun

Admiral Lindy sat down in the captain's chair. "Ah, it's like I never left!" She said happily.

"That's because you _didn't_. This is the _Asura'_ s first major mission since you were transferred." Chrono said bitterly.

Lindy smiled at her sulking child. "Oh, Chrono, it's not that the top brass don't think you can do the job! It's just that this is turning out to be a larger case than they thought, that's all. They would have sent a senior officer to oversee it no matter who the Captain was."

"As annoyed as I am that they apparently have no confidence in me, that not what's _really_ the problem. It's not that they sent someone to oversee the job. It's that they sent _my mother_ to oversee the job. This is the biggest assignment in my first command position, and what happens? Mom to the rescue." Chrono grumbled. "It's not that I'm not happy to see you, it's just… well, this is really, really humiliating."

Amy stepped up behind him and whispered in his ear, "You do realize this means you'll get to participate in the field operation next time, right?"

Chrono's eyes widened. "Well, on the other hand, I suppose it _is_ best for a more experienced officer to handle command operations. And of course, with you on the bridge, I'll be able to oversee the away teams. Yes, that sounds good, that's a good way to split up command duties. I respectfully propose we do that, Admiral." Chrono said in a considerably more enthusiastic tone.

"Of course." Lindy said solemnly, although her knowing smile sort of ruined the effect.

"So, mo… admiral…" Fate said.

"Oh, you can call me mom, Fate. I don't like standing on ceremony anyway." Lindy said.

"I probably shouldn't, though… I mean, at least not on duty…"

"Whichever you prefer, sweetie. Me as 'Fate's mom' is still new to both of us, I know."

"Okay then... admiral, while we're on duty. I was wondering if you had any plans. We've mostly been reacting, and I thought maybe fresh eyes might have seen a tactic we missed." Fate asked.

"Hmmm… well regarding the two intruder mages, we're somewhat limited in our options. We don't know where they're based from, unfortunately, so all we can really do is wait for them to make another move. Don't worry, though… I haven't been out of the saddle long enough to forget how to deal with their type. When they make their move, I have a few surprises waiting." Lindy said. "As to the other matter, Internal Affairs has begun an investigation into the matter. I think we should let them get some results before we start planning anything major on that front.

"Now, you girls look exhausted, so why don't you head to the apartment in Japan and get something to eat? You must be tired and hungry after the day you've had. Chrono and I have some red tape to sift through before I can formally assume command, so we'll be an hour or two." Lindy said. "Oh, and Yuuno? The survey team has arrived at those ruins you were interested in, and they're ready to begin excavating. Do you have any further instructions?"

Yuuno looked torn. "Um… well… I'd really like to be the first to examine…"

"I don't mean to tell you how to do your job, but I should probably remind you that a warship is not a terribly secure environment for fragile artifacts from an archaeological dig site." Lindy said mildly.

"… Yes, I suppose you have a point." Yuuno said sadly. "And I guess that I should be leading the crew to examine the new-found Gate as well. Tell them to take anything that isn't too fragile to the Infinity Library for my aides to study, and to leave the rest there until a more professional excavation can be arranged."

"If it makes you feel better, do remember that the Gate you need to study is larger and more advanced than that entire _dig site,_ and that judging by your reports you may actually be able to conduct an in-depth analysis of an inactive one."

"… actually, yes, that does make me feel better." Yuuno said in a considerably more cheerful tone. "And at least you're not sending me to jail, like Chrono did."

"Don't blame me for that. Remember, it was actually Arf's fault." Chrono said.

"He asked me to bite him!" Arf protested.

"You were in _jail?_ " Fate asked.

Arf winced. "Well… I don't know if that's what _I_ would call it…"

"I would." Yuuno said, just the slightest hint of bitterness in his voice.

"Arf… does this have anything to do with that obedience school you were talking about…?" Fate continued, her tone notably more severe.

Arf blinked several times, her brain somewhat overcome by just a tiny-bit of soul-crushing panic. "Um… heh, heh…" she said nervously. "Funny you should ask that…"

* * *

 

"Oh, it's lovely!" Amaterasu said joyfully, gazing at the machine she'd asked Yggdrasil to locate. "Perfect, wondrous, exactly what I've always hoped for!" She and her siblings had taken a brief trek outside to investigate the site, and were generally quite happy with what they'd found (except for the fact it meant going outside in the blistering cold, a general lack of illumination, and the need to wrap themselves so thoroughly in defensive spells that they were glowing like fireworks).

"And you're sure it's going to work?" Susanoo asked doubtfully. "I don't think we've ever taken one of these things off-world, even when 'off-world' wasn't in another reality. Even _we_ aren't running correctly, so how do we know this thing will run at all?"

"The plan is to supercharge the on-board batteries to the maximum immediately before deployment. With full reserve power, it should function for a minimum of thirty-five minutes. Sufficient for one engagement, I should imagine." Tsukuyomi confirmed.

"See? Tsuku has faith in her big sister's tactical mind. You should be more like her, Susa." Amaterasu chided.

Susanoo nodded reluctantly. "Well, I'll admit the plan in general is sound. Although I will say that using one of these things against individual mages strikes me as a bit unfair."

"This is war. If we are able to do it, then it is not unfair." Tsukuyomi said.

"Point. You have to admit this is overkill, though."

Amaterasu shrugged. "I don't know, it looks like a fairly reasonable amount of 'kill' to me. Why, in the old days, we'd just have a couple hundred warships bombard their home-worlds until they surrendered." She sighed. "I miss the old days."

Susanoo smiled. "Well, I'm having a lot of fun! Without all the super-charged powers and giant armies, we really have to work hard for the first time in a long time. It's been so long since we've been seriously challenged that it's refreshing!" His smile vanished as he looked around the city. "I just wish it were under better circumstances…"

The three fell silent. And without their voices, the entire world fell silent as well. Literally.

It was a sobering view for the three of them. They had lived here their entire lives, and that was a long, long time. As far back as they could remember, their world had been a bustling metropolis, the center of the greatest civilization in known existence. Now, millennia later, that empire was reduced to the three of them and one reincarnated queen, and that metropolis was nothing but ruins. The cities and machines still existed (and, to the repeated confusion of everyone, most of them still worked!), but what had made it _home_ , the _people…_

The energies inherent in the Void where they were currently (partially, thanks to Precia and Enlil) trapped required high-level defensive magic to survive for more than a minute or so of exposure. The majority of the population had not had access to such. A few buildings had been shielded well enough to protect a small number of survivors, but… well… two hundred _thousand_ years in a hostile dimension with no way out…

"Well, there's no point in getting depressed about it." Amaterasu said forcefully. "Right now, we need to focus on the task at hand."

"Agreed. Ideally, we should wait for a third Gate to be located before we begin the operation, however." Tsukuyomi said. "The potential gains from the operation will be greatly increased."

"I guess you have a point, but that could take days. What are we supposed to do in the meantime?" Susanoo asked.

"We could find someplace private and…" Amaterasu began.

"No."

"You didn't even let me finish! You shouldn't shoot down your sister's fun plans for family bonding experiences without even hearing them!"

"Is it something that we could do in public?" Susanoo asked.

"… Do you mean in the sense 'would it be _possible_ in public' or 'would it be _legal_ in public'? Because it's definitely one of them."

"Then I really don't want to."

"Affirmative." Tsukuyomi agreed.

"You two are no fun at all!" Amaterasu whined. "Why do we never do what _I_ want to do?!"

"The fact that you know, better than anyone, the things you want to do, and yet still _genuinely don't know the answer to that question_ is probably the thing about you that scares me most of all." Susanoo said sadly.

" _Affirmative._ "

* * *

 

Yuuno looked at the ocean and sighed.

This place had been a battlefield the last time he'd been here, so he hadn't really had time to appreciate just how dead this world was. The ocean was incredibly clear and pure, which _seemed_ good until you realized that meant there wasn't anything living in the water. It was depressing.

Luckily, he was able to counter that general depression with a far more _personal_ depression when he began imagining just how _much_ effort would be required to get all that clear, pure water away from the thing he wanted to look at. "You know, in an ideal world, I would have a full team of trained assistants, several submersible vehicles, and a fortune in specialized equipment. Instead, I have six guards and you." The six guards were, for their part, establishing a perimeter and doing their best to stay out of the his way. Arf, however, was not.

"Yeah, but I'm worth more than all that stuff put together!" Arf said cheerfully.

"Why are you even here?"

"Eh? Why? That's mean, Yuuno!" Arf pouted. "We're friends! Buddies! Partners in crime! … Literally! Why wouldn't I be here, helping out my good pal Yuuno?"

Yuuno smiled. "Afraid to go home with Fate, huh?"

"… she looked angry. I really think she would have made me sleep outside. I don't like sleeping outside, Yuuno. It's cold." Arf admitted.

"Thought so."

"Although we really _are_ friends, you know. I wasn't lying about that."

"I know, Arf."

"I just didn't want you to think we weren't."

"I didn't think that."

"Well, good, because it's not true. You and me, we're _pals,_ that's what we are. Tight. Friends for…"

"I'm actually trying to concentrate, Arf."

"Oooh, on what?"

"Getting at a big piece of metal that is buried both underground _and_ under the ocean, at the moment. A barrier magic might be able to hold back the water enough for me to get close, but it will take a great deal of raw power to hold back it all _and_ a great deal of finesse to set it up without accidentally turning on the Gate. Traditionally, the two don't often occur together. And after that, if I can't get some reliable scans through the soil, I'll have to find some way to get down through the sea floor, too. Teleporting is too dangerous, we don't exactly have the equipment to dig down, and I don't know about you, but I'm not looking forward to another hour-long spelunking trip through a bunch of very annoying caverns. The ones in Japan already made me nervous... basic rule of thumb, never go underground if you can find what you're looking for without doing so. That applies even more on an island, and even _more_ when you're _under_ the water instead of _over_ it."

"I thought you dug stuff up all the time."

"Spelunking is an occupational hazard. Doesn't mean I should do it more than I _have_ to."

"Guess that makes sense. Anything I can do to help?" Arf said frankly.

"I'll let you know in a second." He said, closing his eyes. Raising his voice, he shouted. "Everyone, if you could please not cast any active magic for a little bit? What's already running shouldn't be a problem if I compensate, but anything new might disrupt me."

He took a deep breath, and clasped his hands in front of his chest. A green circle burst into existence around his feet, and from it a beam of light burst downward into the water.

The barrier was even harsher than he'd planned. It had to be strong enough to hold a _lot_ of water, but also large enough that the pocket it created could actually be moved around in. Further, if he didn't want to suffocate, it would have to be open to the air… and not a _small_ opening, since it was so deep down. Unless he basically parted the sea, he'd be getting a scenario where he quickly began breathing his own exhalations. Carbon dioxide poisoning was never fun.

He also quickly discovered that trying to do so alone had been _deeply_ stupid.

"Arf… help…" he said, beads of sweat beginning to run down his brow. Instantly, the pressure began to lessen on his mind as golden light joined the already existing emerald wall in pushing the water back. It took them awhile, even together, but eventually they did manage to create a cylindrical opening about five-hundred meters wide, spreading down to the ocean floor.

Arf smirked at the flashing runes holding back the sea. "You should've told me you were going to try something dumb like that! I would've helped you right from the start. No sense pulling a Chrono, here."

Yuuno laughed in spite of himself. "'Pulling a Chrono'?"

"That's my new word for trying to do something way too hard by yourself and then collapsing from exhaustion."

"I like it." Yuuno said. "Okay, now that we've done the easy part…"

"That was the easy part?"

"… now that we've done the _hard_ part, time to move on to the _really_ hard part." Yuuno corrected himself.

"Oh, good. You had me worried there for a second." Arf said cheerfully. The two of them began to descend their newly formed tunnel to the ocean floor. It smelled like salt and… not a lot else, actually.

"Plants. Fish. SOMETHING. There should be SOMETHING down here besides saltwater and dirt." Yuuno said. "What a sad world…"

"It could be worse." Arf said. "Once, this desert world we went to trying to catch Signum and Zafira? Giant Armored Tentacle Snakes. I'd rather find nothing than go down there and find Giant Armored Tentacle Snakes."

"… Right, I suppose that would be worse." Yuuno agreed.

"No kidding! We'd get down here and _boom_ , tentacles _everywhere_. And I never fought one myself, but I heard they were really grabby, so…"

" _I get the picture._ " Yuuno said firmly. "Okay, now for the harder part. I'm going to need you to focus on the barrier and make _sure_ it doesn't so much as flicker, okay? I'm going to set up a search spell, try to determine exactly how far down the Gate is. This could be bad… it could be, after all, as far down as…"

Arf punched the sea floor. Her arm sunk up to the elbow into the wet sand with a rather sickening squishing sound… followed by a 'clang'.

She shrugged. "I smelled metal."

"… as I was saying, it might be as far as six inches beneath the surface." Yuuno said dryly.

* * *

 

Although Admiral Lindy had claimed she would be home in an hour or two, it was closer to three before she and Chrono actually arrived. Nanoha and Fate had long ago finished eating, and were beginning to seriously consider just having Nanoha spend the night.

"Girls," Lindy said warmly, taking off her jacket and stretching out. "Aaaaah, I'm out of practice. Not even six months on the ground, and just being back on ship for three hours wears me out. Well, I'll get my space legs back eventually, I'm sure…"

She then walked over to Nanoha and Fate, pointed at their devices, and made a motion pantomiming slipping something off her neck.

Slightly confused, both girls took the hint and took off their devices.

Chrono, holding Durandal between his fingers, calmly walked to one of the back bedrooms, opened the door, and shoved the silver card beneath a mattress. He made a motion suggesting Nanoha and Fate follow his example.

Even more confused, both girls did so, slipping Raising Heart and Bardiche under the futon. Chrono then led them out of the room and closed the door behind them. Lindy motioned that the three youths should follow her, and calmly led them out the door. They walked for about fifteen minutes before arriving at a small local park, deserted due to the late hour.

"Um… mom?" Fate said tentatively, seemingly not sure if she should be breaking the long-running silence or not.

"Oh, don't worry, it should be fine to talk now." Lindy said cheerfully. "I just worried that we couldn't trust your devices. You saw how easily Raising Heart's security was breached, and I'd prefer not to spout any sensitive information in front of it or any of the others until we've examined them more closely."

Fate nodded. "Yes… we got the feeling there was something you wanted to speak to us about, that's why Nanoha stayed so long…"

"Clever girls. Yes, there is something rather important that we need to discuss." Lindy said, her smile vanishing and her tone growing considerably more somber. "Now, you all remember Chrono's theory, correct?"

"That a renegade officer has taken an interest in our targets?"

"This… this is both true and false." Lindy said hesitantly. "The problem is that the version he told you, and the one he gave to internal affairs… well, there are a few details that just don't mesh. Chrono, I imagine that you've actually considered the more likely possibility, but you simply didn't want to give voice to it, correct?"

Chrono nodded once. "I didn't think it was safe to bring it up, not after it was shown how penetrable _Asura_ really was. Any system on the ship could be a spy, and this really isn't the sort of theory you share with anyone you don't trust implicitly."

"Wait, how do you mean? Fate and I only got a basic overview of what happened to _Asura._ There was a special type of jamming that worked because they had the security access codes, but beyond that we're both still sort of in the dark." Nanoha said.

"In a sense, that's true, but I'm afraid it's rather more disturbing than it sounds. You see, traditional 'jamming' _prevents_ something from occurring. The _Asura_ wasn't being prevented from doing anything... the fact that Chrono was able to manage a personal teleport means that there wasn't a jamming field in place, at least not as we understand them. This implies a focused attack on the _Asura's_ central computer, a forcible outside reprogramming… except _that_ would have activated the security programs. Even if they couldn't stop the intrusion, they are, after all, magic. They should have at least _tried._ " Lindy said patiently. "Which brings us to the command code problem… someone _could_ , if they knew all the security clearance codes, access the _Asura'_ s main computer and issue it orders without tripping any alarms, since the defenses would assume they had every right to do so. This could _technically_ work, and that's why Chrono reported this as the problem… but it could _not_ work the way it did."

"… eh?" Nanoha said eloquently.

Lindy smiled at her apparent confusion. "Okay, let me put it this way. Let's say, hypothetically speaking that I used my codes to access the _Asura'_ s computers and ordered them to, oh reprogram the mess hall food synthesizers to only produce pudding."

"'Hypothetically'? Mother, you've actually done that." Chrono said.

"Hush, Chrono. Let's _hypothetically_ say that I had done this." Lindy chided. "The _Asura_ would make the pudding, just as I commanded."

"… It took us _three weeks_ to get any food other than pudding in the mess, you know." Chrono said.

"Hush, Chrono."

"Severe malnutrition was rampant, I think someone may have eaten his own boots..."

" _Moving on_!" Lindy said firmly. "My _point_ is, that the _Asura_ would obey my orders, and if someone tried to countermand them, it would say something along the lines of 'that action has been prohibited by Admiral Lindy Harlaown', and then would only allow it to be removed if someone who outranks _me_ gave a command. You see the problem?"

Nanoha nodded once. "If what we thought was true, then the computers should have told us _which_ officer had used their command codes to stop the _Asura_ from helping. So after all that, our theory is actually…"

"Possible. Even likely." Lindy said grimly. "But it would only work if there was another program in the system… a sort of back-door granting exemption to the normal rules to certain individuals, allowing them to issue their own orders to the _Asura's_ main computer, including orders to deceive its own crew."

Nanoha's blinked. "But that doesn't make sense. How would they know ahead of time which specific ship they would need to... I just had a really bad thought." Nanoha said, answering her own question before she even finished asking it.

Chrono nodded. "They wouldn't need to know, _if_ they had these 'back doors' installed in most of the ships in the fleet, if not all of them. Like I said, it's not impossible for Bureau officers to acquire a great deal of personal resources, but there are limits. No ordinary officer could possibly acquire the kind of power and influence that would be required to pull off something on that scale without _anyone_ being the wiser." Chrono finished for her.

Lindy nodded. "There are maybe a dozen individuals who could have successfully implemented a plan like this, and all of them are at _least_ a department head. Someone at the very highest echelons of power has taken it upon themselves to ensure our mission does _not_ succeed. That's why the secrecy… frankly, we're dealing with people who are more or less immune to prosecution. If they believe that we suspect them of wrongdoing, and we don't have concrete evidence of such? Considering their already-displayed lack of anything resembling ethics, I'd say the odds of us experiencing an 'unfortunate accident' would be _considerable._ "

She allowed a few moments of silence for her audience to digest this information.

"It's not _quite_ as awful as it sounds." Fate ventured.

Lindy and Chrono blinked. That was not the reaction they'd really been expecting.

Blushing slightly at the sudden attention, Fate continued, "Well it's just… whoever it is obviously wishes to remain hidden. They can't directly say 'halt your mission and come home', because it would be too suspicious to just order us to stop pursuing dangerous criminals. And the _Asura_ is the flagship. It would look just as suspicious to take us off the case and replace us with someone who's not as good just when things get _more_ serious. So they can't stop us by official means. And unofficially, that just means we need to be careful. They seem unwilling to attack _us_ directly for now, so they'll probably try to do what they did before… cut off our support, divert outside attention, and send a team to take the fugitives out from under us. So all we need to really do is… well… _win_."

Nanoha smiled. "And as luck would have it, we're pretty good at that. This is obviously not _good_ news, but it doesn't really change anything. Whoever is behind this has to be stopped, and if we're the only ones in a position to do it, then... we'll do what we do best!"

Silence fell again, but only for a few seconds; as far as stunned silences go, this one was broken in record time by a series of helpless giggles. "Oh… my… hee, hee… I… I thought I didn't miss the fieldwork, but I… hahahaha! Oh, I _have_ missed working with you girls! 'We think the most politically powerful people in the universe are out to kill us!' 'Oh, that's okay Admiral Lindy, we'll just beat them up!' HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Lindy said, tears of mirth running down her face.

Nanoha pouted. "Well, when you put it like _that_ it makes us sound kind of simple, doesn't it…"

Chrono held one hand up to his voice and made a sound like he was clearing his throat, but there was a definite hint of a strangled chuckle in the noise. "Y-yes. In any event. We should head back to the place. House. Shouldn't spend too much time away from the things. Devices. Looks suspicious." Chrono said, fighting with iron willpower to keep from laughing. He found it worked best if he stuck to short, simple sentences.

* * *

 

The next day passed largely without incident.

The news was almost charmingly blasé about the fact that Tokyo had randomly started glowing not even a week ago. School was largely unforgiving of two girls leaving in the middle of the day for no adequately explained reason, but the fact that their academic records were superb (Nanoha chose not to notice the fact that her record was apparently better than it had been two days ago, and resolved to never, ever notice this fact… although she decided, for totally unrelated reasons, to get Chrono a very nice birthday present this year) allowed them to get away with just a warning.

Yuuno responded to any and all communications by mumbling something about academic awards and seemingly not noticing that someone was trying to talk to him; Nanoha chose to interpret this as meaning that he was quite excited by the Gate.

Chrono and Admiral Lindy spent their time going back and forth between the house in Japan and the _Asura_. As with Yuuno, they seemed to be actively avoiding conversation, although in this case this was because they were hesitant to say what they were actually thinking on certain subjects. In the case of Susanoo and Tsukuyomi, Lindy would just wink and say that she had some fun surprises in store… not that they would need it, considering that with the addition of Chrono to the field team, they now outnumbered their foes by more than two to one, assuming that they could actually manage to get all five mages _on the field_ and not in jail. At this point, Chrono pointed out that it was Arf's fault.

Arf had discovered that yes, Fate really _had_ been unhappy with her. She discovered it overnight, when she had to sleep in the doghouse in Fate's yard.

It was, overall, a very nice breather.

And so was the next day.

And the next.

And the _next._

"It's not that I don't enjoy some time off," Nanoha said, idly brushing a kitten off the table. She had, since she literally had nothing better to do, gotten together with the girls at Suzuka's house for tea. "It's that I start to worry when there are two entirely separate groups of people trying to kill us, and neither of them do anything for four straight days."

Suzuka nodded thoughtfully, picking a kitten off the table and setting it down on the floor. "I suppose I can understand that. In the movies and such they always say that the calm before a battle is the hardest part, don't they?"

Arisa shrugged and shooed a kitten off the table. "I never understood that myself. I mean, you'd think the _battle_ would be the hard part, and the calm before it would be rather calming."

"You'd think that, but you mostly find that with all the adrenaline, once the battle actually _starts_ you really aren't thinking much about anything… Suzuka, is it me, or are your cats more active than usual?" Fate said, gently pushing a kitten toward the edge of the table until it volunteered to jump off of its own will.

"Falin accidentally left a tray of cookies where they could get at it. Unfortunately, they were the ones with the cream cheese, so the cats actually _ate_ them, and now the little dears go berserk whenever we have _any_ cookies." Suzuka said in a mildly embarrassed tone, gently removing yet another kitten that had jumped onto the table the four girls were sitting at in an effort to reach their snack. "It was cute at first, but you'd be surprised how quickly it gets old…"

Arisa picked up a cat by the scruff of its neck and stared it frankly in the eyes. "No, I wouldn't find that surprising at all." She said.

"Mew." The cat said.

"Yeah, you _better_ apologize."

"Um… before we got sidetracked…" Nanoha said timidly.

"Oh, yes. Nanoha, you know as well as I do that these things happen when they happen." Fate said, largely unconcerned. "I'm sure that we'll see them again."

"Well, I don't want to see _all_ of them again," She said, remembering the creepy black cyborgs. "But I'm a little worried about Tsukuyomi."

" _Worried?_ " Arisa asked in disbelief.

"Well, I think… it was like I actually managed to reach her, a little, _little_ bit. Even if it was the tiniest connection imaginable, I felt like I actually saw that she's a person, not a machine. And then when her gem was stolen she just looked… she looked so _lost._ It was the first time I've ever seen her look _anything,_ so it stuck with me. It gave me some hope that I'm not trying something impossible, that's all. If I could talk to her again, maybe…"

"You really are too nice for your own good, you know that?" Arisa said cheerfully.

"Hey!"

"True." Suzuka agreed.

"Guilty." Fate said.

"Well, of course I'm _nice_ but I don't think it's too…" Nanoha began, before stopping to notice that all three girls were fighting back giggles. "… why is it, lately, that I can never tell when you're being serious and when you're just teasing me?" Nanoha pouted.

"Well, we've been doing a little of both..." Suzuka admitted.

"Arisa, I expect this sort of thing from you. But Suzuka, Fate…"

"I'm a bad influence on them." Arisa said proudly.

Nanoha sighed indignantly. "The things I put up with…"

Fate patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry too much about it. We'll see them again. They don't seem the type to leave a job unfinished… unfortunately."

"I know. I just can't help worrying a little bit…"

"Look on the bright side." Suzuka said. "Maybe they decided it wasn't worth the risk? They might have gone off to just live peacefully by themselves. Maybe you _already_ reached them more than you thought."

Nanoha smiled at that. She didn't really _believe_ it, but it was a nice thought. And she could always hope, right?

* * *

 

Elsewhere, at that exact _second_ , as if to say once again that the powers-that-be _love_ toying with optimists, a black portal opened in the cold sky of the planet Dysval.

It was not a nice world, frankly. While it was certainly capable of supporting life, the life it supported tended to be of the type that could live on one meal a month and which considered temperatures that could freeze a human to death in less than an hour to be 'mildly nippy'. Independent colonists had attempted to set up shop there more than once over the years, because no matter how awful a place is there will always be _someone_ willing to try living there if it means they won't have to pay taxes. All such attempts had inevitably failed when they discovered that there was a _reason_ the colony before them had failed. Like the fact that most edible crops would not grow in these temperatures. Or that most of the water on the planet was underground, frozen, or both. Or that the native vegetation required about a week's worth of intense processing to actually be soft enough for humans to eat. Or that the native predators tended to be on the nightmarish side and considered soft, squishy colonists to be a pleasant alternative to the sort of tough-as-nails herbivores they usually had to hunt.

It wasn't that people _couldn't_ live there. It was just that it wasn't worth it.

But now, after years and years of being mostly ignored by everyone except those few stupid enough to try and live there, someone had finally found a use for the cold, sad little planet of Dysval.

"Well then," Enlil said, standing on the other side of the black portal and looking over the frozen plains. "Let's begin."


	12. Ignite Inferno

_This is just not possible._ Yuuno thought dully.

Granted, since he'd gotten maybe two hours of sleep last night, most of his thoughts were sort of dull. But this was duller than most.

He couldn't help it. It had taken him most of the first day of study to get the Gate's computers active without turning on any of its other systems... to his great joy, as this meant he could skip quite a lot of excavation. The first few hours of the second day had been spent downloading modern language files into it so that he could actually communicate with the thing.

After that, things had sort of snowballed. He'd spent the rest of that day and most of the next two holed up in his cabin on the _Asura,_ his terminal constantly linked to the Gate and downloading every last scrap of data he could wring out of it.

The AI refused to allow him access to classified files, but without any countermanding orders and with no active administrators, it was happy to tell him all about anything non-classified that it knew. Yuuno got the impression that it was lonely after so long inactive, and conveniently, he was quite happy to listen to it.

It wasn't designed as a data depository, of course, but it knew more than he'd expected it to. He'd already gotten a detailed schematic of the device itself which could, he believed, make current teleportation techniques roughly twenty percent more energy-efficient. It had thoughtfully provided him with a list of current (which was to say, current when it had last been active) figures of public importance, beginning with some major political figures… not exactly useful for their current situation _,_ given that every single person on the list had been dead since before Midchilda had discovered fire, but there was nothing wrong with learning something new. It had provided him with the basic alphabet of the most commonly used language of its time, and given him some tips on converting it into something he could read.

Then he'd started asking about who'd built it, and things had _really_ gotten interesting.

The civilization which had built and maintained the Gates had referred to itself as 'the Infinite Empire'. Yuuno presumed that the name was meant to be symbolic (possibly symbolic of 'incredible arrogance') but that was not something the Gate actually knew. Then, since he'd never heard of them, he'd asked if the Gate happened to have a map or list of worlds that had made up said Empire.

It had both. And they showed pretty effectively that the absurd name had not been as arrogant as Yuuno thought.

He had begun reading the list an hour ago… and he wasn't even half done yet.

 _This is just not possible._ Yuuno thought.

He didn't recognize almost all of the names on the list… not exactly odd, considering that most of the worlds involved probably no longer had the same names. But there were so _many_ names, and many more that were just numbers; maybe they were planets not fit for habitation, or perhaps after the first couple hundred worlds, it was easier not to think up new names. But there was _one_ name in particular, about a third of the way down the list, that both made a great deal of sense and that everything he knew about history told him could not _possibly_ be right…

The alert klaxon began to screech, shocking him violently out of his thoughts. Amy's voice came over the intercom, saying, "Director Scrya, please report to the bridge."

He took a deep breath to steady his heartbeat and got out of his chair, ignoring the stiffness in his neck and legs. He didn't really want to _leave_ , he still had so many questions he needed to ask, he needed to find out if this was genuine and if it _was_ … but he recognized that until he knew a little bit more, it was really just his curiosity getting the better of him. It could wait.

Besides, he was beginning to think that Tsukuyomi and Susanoo could answer these particular questions better than the Gate's limited intellect. Not that he was obsessed or anything...

* * *

 

Amaterasu nodded. "All right, time to play. Susa, Tsuku, you're up first. We'll have you under surveillance as best we can, but you know how these things are... just don't lose your devices or we'll never find you."

"No, really?" Susanoo said. "Because I was planning on throwing away my weapon that I've had for centuries and which I know so well it's basically an extension of my arm. I was really hoping to just _lose_ that."

 **"You're stupid enough to do it, your highness.** " Raijin informed him.

He smiled, held the pendant between his hands, and began to bend it. "Break, break, break the stupid piece of junk~!" He said in a sing-song voice.

**"Sorry, sorry!"**

"I'm sure in better times, I'd be chuckling at the irony of the fact that you can't get your weapon to behave any more than I can get _you_ to do so, but this isn't the time." Enlil sighed. She motioned at the portal, continuing, "I have to make quite a few more of these, so don't make me hold this one any longer than I have to."

"Right, sorry. Okay, let's ULLLFM!" He said, caught somewhat off-guard as two arms wrapped around him like steel cables.

"Be careful! You're going to be outnumbered, so watch each other's backs, and don't eat anything strange, and don't talk to strangers, and…" Amaterasu said in a tone of frantic concern.

"UMMMMFMLFM!"

"Yes, I love you too."

"You know, I actually wasn't joking when I said _hurry up._ " Enlil said meaningfully.

"Oh, that's right. Sorry." Amaterasu said, releasing her victim. He quickly scrambled to his feet and practically _leapt_ through the portal, which closed behind him. Tsukuyomi, being the _smart_ sibling, had already left while he 'provided a distraction'.

Precia fought down a growl of annoyance and vaguely wondered how she'd ever gotten associated with these idiots.

Had she realized Enlil was having _exactly_ the same thought, both of them would likely have swallowed poison right then and there.

* * *

 

"We've confirmed the location, Admiral." Amy said. "Hey, this one actually has a name! Dysval, at dimensional coordinates 3351093221. Hmmm… looks like it's mostly uninhabited, but there is a small mining organization on the largest continent, near the equator. All automated, though; seems that people who are actually _alive_ tend not to stay on this world very long. May have something to do with the lousy weather… Barrier Jackets should be plenty of protection from that, though."

"Our enforcers?"

"They're gathered in transport bay two and ready to move out on your orders." Amy said cheerfully. She was very happy with how quickly and efficiently she'd gathered them, although she supposed it helped that Yuuno and Chrono had actually been _on the ship,_ Arf had been lounging around a house that had its own teleporters built in, and the remaining two had just been eating cookies. It was easier to gather them when they weren't doing anything. Just for fun, she added, "And not one of them is in jail. Not even Yuuno."

" _That was Arf's fault_!" Yuuno protested over the intercom.

" _He asked me to-_ "

"Did you do that on purpose, Amy?" Lindy asked.

"… sorry."

"Just as long as you know you have something to apologize for. Chrono, is your team ready?"

" _All green, Admiral. Any special orders_?" Chrono said.

"Hmmmm… use your own discretion. I trust your judgment. Just take them both, alive, and _quickly_. I'd prefer we not have any other… guests."

" _Of course. This is five against two… it should be over quickly_."

"I wasn't giving you permission to be overconfident, Chrono." Lindy chided him gently. "Be _careful_."

Chrono's slight grin was distinctly audible in his tone, even though the connection was sound-only. " _I always am. My team, on the other hand_ …"

Lindy winced. "Maybe I should have said, 'be as careful as you are capable of being with those people under your wing'…"

Nanoha could be heard to say, " _I think they're making fun of us_."

Lindy smiled. "I've said it before, but I _have_ missed those kids."

Tsukuyomi opened her eyes. "We have incoming. The earliest distortions of a group teleport have begun. They should fully materialize within the next thirty seconds."

* * *

 

Susanoo smiled, his breath clouding in the low temperatures. He didn't mind them overall, though he would have preferred a little more snow. Cold and dry was just dull. "That was quick. Switch to silent communications."

_I am detecting five signatures. Four that I recognize… Nanoha Takamachi, Fate Testarossa and her familiar, and the boy who arrived near the end of the last encounter. The fifth is an unknown._

_So they're not bothering with the containment team… well, I guess you can't say they aren't learning. All right, I call Fate, and I'm guessing that Arf will go with her, so that's two… hmmm, I guess I'll pick up the unknown as well. You know, just to keep things interesting. You think you can take care of the guy who showed up late last time and… ummmmm… it's right on the tip of my tongue…_

_Nanoha Takamachi?_

_No, that doesn't sound right. It was something similar to that, though._ Susanoo thought confidently.

_No, it **is** that._

_… Are you sure?_

* * *

 

By this point, of course, the thirty seconds had passed, and the Enforcers quickly found their quarry… by virtue of it floating visibly in the empty sky.

Chrono frowned at the two dots on the horizon. "They're in visual range, so they have to know we're here. Stay sharp. Nanoha, you have the best range; think you can hit them from here?"

"Well, I _could,_ but I'd really prefer…"

"Is there no way we could talk to them first?" Yuuno interjected.

"… did my voice just change?" Nanoha asked in confusion, wondering why someone other than herself had just said roughly the words she'd been thinking.

"There are some things I really, really want to ask them. And frankly, I'm not great at interrogating prisoners, so I'd just like to see if they'll…"

"Is this important?" Chrono asked.

"… I don't know." Yuuno admitted. "It could be, but I can't be certain."

"Then I don't think we can risk it. We have the advantage here, but that doesn't mean we can be sloppy. We're still in a combat situation, and…"

"No we're not." Arf said.

"… eh?"

"They're running away." Arf said, pointing at the two already small dots in the sky getting even smaller.

Chrono fell silent for a brief moment. "… oh."

"They must have found the next Gate already and decided to just try to beat us there…" Yuuno guessed.

"Well, we should catch them, then." Chrono said. His tone suggested that he knew such an order didn't really need to be _said,_ but he felt that he should contribute something.

Fate tried not to smile. "A wise decision, sir."

"… Agent, I should remind you that as your commanding officer, I do not appreciate your thinly veiled mirth at my confusion and demand to be treated with proper respect. And as your older brother, _stop that_ or I'm telling mom." Chrono said dryly. "Pursue, people."

* * *

 

 _Why are we running away?!_ Susanoo asked.

 _We have two objectives. This aids both of them. Therefore, it is the most sensible course of action._ Tsukuyomi said.

_Well… yeah, but do we need to aid our objectives such a sissy way? They're going to make fun of us!_

_… … … so?_

_So, it doesn't do to have our enemies disrespecting us! Fate's not going to take me seriously anymore! I mean, I'm her Master, I have to set a good example for her or she'll never grow into a great mage!_ (At this point, in what was probably a coincidence, Fate felt a surge of intense irritation and had no idea why).

_You can redeem yourself when they catch us. They should have us in firing range in the next minute or so. Surprisingly fast, although I suppose we weren't going as quickly as we could have thanks to you…_

_Well, okay then, though maybe I should fight all of them by myself, just to make... **what do you mean thanks to me?!**_ Susanoo mentally bellowed.

_I just thought that you were going slower than you could have._

_I was not! I was going really fast, they were just faster, right? Right?! So don't accuse me of slacking off._

_Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you weren't trying, but you're really just not as good as they are…_ Tsukuyomi apologized mildly.

_Yeah! I'm just not… as… hey, **that's even worse!** I'm fast, I'm **really** fast! Like the wind!_

_Oh. Then why didn't you move more quickly?_

_… … … … …I was moving slowly on purpose. You know, to be sporting._

_That would be slacking off._

_… … … GAAAAAAH!_

_…?_

* * *

 

"Nanoha?" Chrono asked.

"Raising Heart?" Nanoha asked.

" **Range in 30, 29, 28…"**

"A few more seconds until sniping distance, Chrono." Nanoha said. "I don't think I can shoot them both down, but I should be able to get one, or at least get them to stop running."

"Good enough. When Nanoha fires, Fate and Arf break right, Yuuno and I break left. We'll flank and surround them when they separate. Nanoha, if you can bring one down, fine; if not, just continue to attack at range until things get too hectic."

"Um… I realize this probably sounds weird, but would you mind if I…" Fate began.

"No." Chrono said. "You may not."

"But…"

"You were going to ask if you and Nanoha could fight one-on-one against the people you've been fighting so far. And that answer is 'no'. I let you do that with the Wolkenritter, because at the time we also needed to search for the Book of Darkness and I didn't mind you distracting them while we did so." Chrono said firmly. "This time one of the Logia doesn't move, and they are _carrying_ the other one. So we use all available resources, understood?"

Fate sighed. "Fine…"

Nanoha smiled in her general direction. "Don't worry, Fate. I'm disappointed too, but I'm sure that once things get started, we'll still have the chance to talk to them again. These things tend to work out in their own ways. Okay, Raising Heart, lock on target. Set up for Divine Buster, Maximum Power, full extension…"

Fate blinked at the rather abrupt shift in tone. In spite of herself, she couldn't help but think: _Well, that's pretty close to what I heard right before **my** problems started to work themselves out…_

Arisa couldn't hear that thought, but she would have been proud if she could.

* * *

 

 _I believe they have managed to acquire a target lock._ Tsukuyomi thought. _We've bought as much time as we can with retreat. Prepare for combat._

 _When am I **not** prepared? _Susanoo thought cheerfully. He looked over his shoulder to see the rapidly growing ball of pink light in the sky behind them, and the figures of several mages flying away from it. _Oh, they're trying to separate us, then take us two to one?_

' _Divide and conquer' is a classic strategy for a good reason._ Tsukuyomi pointed out. _Of course, if the 'divide' portion is unsuccessful, the plan falls to pieces._

_I take it you have a counter-plan?_

_Well, for starters, we should defuse that spell. Tell me, big brother… when was the last time someone outclassed you in terms of raw attack power?_

Susanoo smiled at that. "Raijin, reconfigure for long-range combat."

 **"Artillery Form, set up!"** Raijin said cheerfully. The blades retracted, a new grip emerged, and what had once been the handle of a very large axe opened to become the barrel of a very large gun. **"Positron Laser, locked on target!"**

As blue light began to gather at the barrel of the cannon, Susanoo kept right on smiling. "This should be interesting."

 _This… could end badly._ Nanoha thought. She'd thought Chrono's plan had been a solid one, and definitely hadn't been planning on them actually standing their ground and meeting her head-on. After a moment's thought, she realized that she'd been thinking only in terms of what the opponent _she'd_ been facing would do in this situation, and hadn't given much thought to how _Fate's_ would react; nor had she considered that their tactics would probably change if they were fighting as a team. She filed this away in her brain under 'mistakes I won't be making again'.

" **High energy signature detected. Risk level is high… recommend cartridge load."** Raising Heart said

"So, it might overpower you without another cartridge?" Nanoha asked. She considered this news for a fraction of a second.

"Load three," She said.

She didn't like losing.

Tsukuyomi looked at her brother, his weapon practically _howling_ from the energy he was gathering; the mechanisms buzzing and screaming as the charge function ran non-stop.

She cast her gaze as best she could at Nanoha Takamachi, who appeared to be doing much the same.

She had assumed that Susanoo would simply be able to power through anything that anyone else could throw at him, just like he'd always done. But the power that Takamachi was currently building seemed to be much greater than her initial estimates… she took a few moments to recalculate exactly how much magical power each was gathering, and exactly what would happen if those two spells collided. Her expression turned thoughtful.

"Hmmm…" She said. "This plan may have been ill-conceived."

And then they fired. The two beams flashed across the frozen landscape, met, and...

* * *

 

"… Amy?" Lindy asked, looking over Amy's shoulder at the screen where she was monitoring the sensor data from the battle. There _should_ have been a visual, but a large flash of light had caused it to go blank.

"Yes, Admiral?"

"Have your sensors been hacked again? Because these readings would seem to suggest that someone fired an Arc-en-Ciel at the battle site…"

"Hmmmm... no, no it's not nearly that big. Maybe if we fired it at fifteen-percent power… _maybe_ twenty." Amy said hesitantly. "… Certainly no more than twenty-five."

"… Everyone's still alive, right?"

"Well, all their devices are still transmitting, at least."

Lindy sighed in a mixture of relief and frustration. "Kids are just too rowdy these days…"

* * *

 

The Director took a look at the readouts the surveillance drone had provided. "Now, what kind of idiot sets off something like that in their own face?" He asked nobody in particular.

"Excuse me, sir?" His current aide asked. Since there was nobody who was _not_ field-qualified under his command, the person currently acting as his adviser and assistant tended to change every few days (or even several times in the same day) as agents were sent out on assignment and other agents returned. He frankly preferred it this way; it prevented him from getting attached to any of them, and ensured that he rarely got exactly the same advice more than once.

"Oh, just thinking out loud. Was there something you needed?"

"Oh, Tactical is requesting permission to send in a strike team. We can be on-site within five minutes, if you…"

"No, we're not going that far. The targets… no the entire situation seems a bit _odd_ to me. Repeating strategies is fine if the strategy _works_ , but this one has proven not to… so why are they doing the same thing over again? And despite the image she puts off, Admiral Harlaown has a mind like a steel trap. If I picked up that something's strange, I doubt she missed it, but she's moving in like nothing's odd…"

"You think this is a trap?"

"Yes, I'm just not sure who's trapping who. On the off-chance that the trap is for _us_ , I'd prefer not to walk into it."

"Fair enough. I'll tell Tactical to stand down, and…"

"No."

"… but you just said…"

"We're not moving in to attack, but I still want an agent ready, and I'll need someone who can defend themselves. Don't forget, we have a package to deliver."

* * *

 

Nanoha coughed. A bit of dust came out of her mouth.

She imagined their must have been some kind of preexisting problem with the local environment. Maybe a pocket of explosive gasses had been trapped near the surface, and the shock had disturbed them; maybe this atmosphere was just naturally volatile and the only thing that had kept it from exploding all over the place before now was the low temperatures inhibiting reactions somehow.

Because certainly she hadn't sorely underestimated the extent of the damage the two attacks would cause when they hit and exploded. No, that couldn't be the case.

She couldn't see the others though the mushroom cloud (no, no, not a mushroom cloud, certainly she hadn't made one of those? It was just a thick cloud of dust and debris created by a large explosion that just happened to be _vaguely_ shaped like something that might be a fungus of some sort), but a quick thought confirmed that everyone was still alive, if a tad bit confused as to why they'd all been sent flying. She also didn't see Susanoo or Tsukuyomi, which worried her. The explosion had been closer to them than her, and it had been rather huge. If they were caught in the blast… no, that wasn't the right way to think right now. They'd proven good at surviving things, and besides, if she worried too much about them getting hurt then she'd be distracted in the event they started trying to hurt _her_. She shifted Raising Heart into Axel mode, deciding that versatility was more use than range right this second. She considered going higher up to get a better view of the battlefield.

She felt the attack coming before she actually saw it.

Susanoo really did prefer close combat, and Artillery Mode was more-or-less limited to large, slow shots best used against targets that weren't moving around too much, so he'd elected to go back to his axe almost immediately. And then, recognizing that he and his sister were outnumbered, decided that it would be a good idea to take advantage of the readily available camouflage to attack the first person he found. There were six people to target, and the only one he needed not to hurt was also, conveniently, the one he could tell the location of easily. That left five scattered, disoriented mages who were all fair game. And lo and behold, here was a good one right now! Not Fate, but he'd try not to hold that against her before he sent her plummeting to the ground, battered and crushed.

Nanoha snapped Raising Heart into position just barely in time; it still wasn't an ideal defensive posture, so she was sent tumbling through the sky, but at the very least she wasn't cut in half. Wow, Fate hadn't been kidding when she said he hit like a truck…

 _One of them is on me!_ Nanoha sent out through the group link. _I don't see the other, though!_

"Nice reflexes." Susanoo said. "And I'm thinking you were the one who fired off that big cannon, right? So excellent power, too. Hmmmm… yes, I'm going to say that you're impressive! I like you, kid!"

Nanoha smiled slightly. "Like me enough to surrender?"

"HA! Sorry, but I don't like _anyone_ that much."

"How about this? I'll make you the same offer I made your sister. If I can beat you, then you have to sit down and explain to me what you're trying to do." Nanoha said.

"Why, I have been specifically ordered not to disclose that! Accepting that offer would be highly irresponsible of me." He said in a mock-insulted tone. "So sure, why not?"

"… seriously?" Nanoha asked doubtfully.

"Why are you doubting me? You suggested it, didn't you?"

"I know, it's just that most people tend not to agree. Or at least, they don't agree so quickly. Your sister didn't…" Nanoha said.

"I love Tsukuyomi, but she's not big on 'fun'. A wager never hurt anybody, right? It spices things up a bit. But it's no fun if I'm the only one betting, so what do I get from you if I win?"

Nanoha blinked a few times. "I don't know. It's never come up."

"Well, that's lame." Susanoo said frankly. "I have to tell you all this great information if I lose, _plus_ I'll probably have to go to jail because you'll arrest me, but I don't get anything if I win? Unfair, that's what that is. I'm starting to see why people never want to accept this deal."

"Um… well, I guess I could bet something… what do you think would be fair?" Nanoha asked, all in the interest of improved communications.

"… … … you know, you don't really have anything I want. There must be something, though… oh! Oh! I know! I never did get any of that picnic lunch you girls were eating, and it smelled nice. If I win, you have to get me some good Earth food like that. I bet a native like you will know all the best stuff!"

Nanoha couldn't help but giggle. "Okay, fine. We're wagering your secret plans and your true purpose against… lunch. Fate did say you were an odd one."

"She probably said 'awesome' and you just misheard her. It's all right, she talks very softly. I've been working on that, but sometimes I think she's not listening…" Susanoo said earnestly.

"You can ask what she meant yourself when she visits you in prison." Chrono said.

"Oh, that's not a bad id… e… a…" Susanoo began, his voice trailing off. He sighed. "… I'm about to be ambushed, aren't I?"

" **Stinger Snipe."**

As the storm of azure light slammed into Susanoo, Nanoha protested, " _Chrono_ , it was supposed to be one-on-one!"

"Even if I hadn't _specifically told you not to do that_ …" Chrono said sharply. "This one hurt my sister. I'm in no mood to play games with him."

"You're Fate's brother?" Susanoo said, emerging from the cloud of smoke created by Chrono's attack. His barrier jacket was torn and charred in a few places, but beyond that he did not appear to be all that inconvenienced. "Are you sure? Because I've been on the receiving end of spells from both of you, now, and I've gotta say: there's really no comparison."

Chrono shrugged and leveled Durandal. "Strength isn't everything."

"It doesn't hurt." Susanoo said, the air around him beginning to hum with power.

"No." Nanoha agreed, Raising Heart bursting into light. "I suppose it doesn't."

* * *

 

Tsukuyomi _almost_ looked worried.

Susanoo had broken away from her side and engaged the enemy, when he was _supposed_ to stay close to her. To make matters worse, he was outnumbered. To make matters even _worse,_ three of the enemy mages were still unaccounted for, and with so much ambient magic in the air, she wasn't certain she'd be able to locate them easily even if her vision hadn't been impaired by this stubborn cloud of smoke and dust. At least it was beginning to clear with Susa's battle starting; he tended to create a lot of shockwaves, which were making it disperse more quickly.

There.

It wasn't Susanoo, but she could just barely sense someone flying through the sky above the cloud, preparing to swoop down upon his battle while he was already outnumbered. Tsukuyomi raised her weapon and said, "Suijin, can you acquire a steady target lock?"

" **Yes, milady."**

"Then do so. I see no reason to be gentle." Silver-blue light gathered at the tip of the staff… and she heard the distinctive sound of a device loading a cartridge from less than a foot behind her head.

"… … … that figure in the sky is your familiar. You were trying to make me expose my location." Tsukuyomi said, without turning around.

"You're not wrong." Fate agreed. "You're also under arrest."

Without another word, Tsukuyomi twisted in midair, bringing her head out of line with the other girl's weapon and snapping her own device at her, releasing the energy in a wild burst. It wasn't the most elegant attack in history, but at the moment getting out of this clearly disadvantageous position was the most important thing.

Fate's barriers held, though she was still pushed back before she managed to knock away the wild energy. Golden lightning gathered around Bardiche as she righted herself and responded to the attack in kind. " **Plasma Smasher, get set."**

Tsukuyomi attempted to dodge… only to have emerald chains wrap around her ankles from below. She did not waste the time to look, instead progressing from the logical assumption that one of the two boys whose abilities she'd not yet seen was responsible. To make matters worse, she detected motion above her; the familiar was attacking. Results were needed, and quickly.

 _Step One: That attack must be dealt with_. At the moment, since she couldn't dodge, she would need to defend, but she also couldn't afford to focus all her defense in one direction. She decided to compromise. The barrier sprung into existence at the end of her palm, but came into being at an angle instead of a straight wall. As a result, Fate's attack did not hit it dead on and stop, but rather 'skipped' off, shooting off above Tsukuyomi's head along the surface of the shield. This was, of course, the point; by redirecting the energy above her, she forced the familiar to abandon its planned attack and come at her from a different angle. It bought only a few seconds, but that ought to be enough.

 _Step two: restore my mobility._ "Break these chains." She said, speaking a little more quickly than usual. But not much.

" **Siren Song."** Suijin said, the air around it visibly distorting, as if by intense heat. The ripple spread until it touched the chains around her ankles, making them shatter like glass. Free to move, she retreated until she reached a spot she could actually see all three of her attackers.

They did not look terribly impressed.

"Please, just stop." Fate said calmly. "You're obviously intelligent enough to know you can't win… consider what you just did, all that energy you just spent to do nothing but get yourself to a position where defeat wasn't immediate. This will be simpler for everyone if you just surrender."

"I'm the director of the Infinity Library." Yuuno said. "Technically speaking, I'm a section chief, and Admiral Lindy from fleet operations is a close friend. You two haven't seriously harmed anyone, so the two of us and probably intervene on your behalf to shield you and your brother from criminal charges if you come quietly. Please, there are so many things I need to ask you…!"

"I'm sorry. Your offer seems quite generous, but I find myself unable to accept. Surrender is quite simply out of the question. And in any event, I still have a few options to exercise. There are, after all, tactics for a single mage facing a group. Permit me to show you one of them," Tsukuyomi said earnestly. She briefly hesitated, measuring the power she currently had available and considering how much of it this would require, but she honestly couldn't see a better tactic. She held her staff horizontally in front of her, intoning, "Suijin, become my holy armor, and let our divine wrath shine down upon those who challenge our master. Final drive… ignition." She said.

" **Moon God's Raiment, break limit."**

* * *

 

"They've fully engaged. Time for the next step." Enlil said. She idly waved her hand, and a portal opened with the motion of her arm. "You're next." She said to Amaterasu.

"Right-o!" Amaterasu chirped. "You two get along, now… or at least please don't murder Miss Precia, your majesty."

"I shall endeavor to control myself. _Get moving_."

After she had left, Enlil said to Precia, "Get ready, you're next. Your temporary command access is all set up, correct?"

"Of course, I tested it myself hours ago." Precia replied, a little insulted at this lack of faith in her planning abilities. "The only question is whether or not this toy will function as promised when we send it through."

Enlil shrugged. "The basic idea is sound. I triple-checked the schematics myself, and you can trust me when I say that _nobody_ knows these devices better than I do. It will work as planned."

Precia looked out the window at the machine. "Well, I'll admit that it _looks_ sturdy enough. It's not the weapon so much as the _source_ of the plan in general that makes me wonder."

"Oh, that? Don't worry about that. My knights may be a tad… eccentric, but they get the job done. And believe me when I say that Amaterasu is their leader for a very good reason."

* * *

 

In his office, the Director smiled at the new reaction.

"I _knew_ it." He said. "All right, time to send that message…"

* * *

 

In the skies above the dead world at dimensional coordinates 1174382001, two mages floated side-by-side. Their names were Raye Nissai and Tessa Gallant. They were two of the combat mages assigned to the _Asura,_ and had been for some time; longer, certainly, than it's current Captain had held his position. Not that they begrudged Captain Chrono his rapid ascent through the ranks… both of them fully understood that he was light-years beyond either of them in terms of talent. No, they were perfectly happy with their humble station.

Besides, if they'd been more talented, they would have had to go with Captain Chrono to fight dangerous fugitives, instead of having the comparatively simple job of defending a big submerged piece of metal for Director Scrya. They'd seen plenty of combat over the years (Raye, in particular, had the dubious honor of having been on the initial team sent to capture Precia Testarossa, and consequently had been one of those fried within an inch of his life by her) and knew they didn't feel like seeing too much more if they could avoid it. Standard Bureau combat mages were quite effective against pirates, smugglers and the like, but against the kind of super-powered maniacs that the _Asura_ tended to attract, they were just as happy to spend their time defending nice stationary dig sites and leave the really dangerous stuff to their _own_ super-powered maniacs.

Raye smiled at Tessa and offered her a flask. "Thirsty? It's just water, but it's cold and wet, so that's something."

Tessa smiled in return. "Marry me," she said cheerfully, gratefully accepting the canteen.

"I _would_ , but if you're willing to marry any guy who offers you a free drink, I really don't think our relationship would last."

"Yeah, but it would be a fun two weeks, wouldn't it?" Tessa teased. Realistically, the two of them had gone to the academy together and served together for the better part of a decade; if something had been going to happen, it would have happened by now. But that didn't mean they couldn't flirt. In fact, it meant they were practically required to.

"More fun than this week has been," Raye agreed.

"Oh, it hasn't been that bad. I mean, if you think about it, that guy was into lightning, so if we'd screwed the containment, we could have gotten electrocuted like you were that one time on the Testarossa case."

"… _one time_ , that happened."

"And yet you'll never live it down. Funny how that works, isn't it?"

"See if I ever offer _you_ water again."

"That's all? This is all you sent?"

"What's all?" Raye asked in confusion.

Tessa's eyes widened. "I didn't say that," She replied. Both guards whirled to face behind them, Raye sending out the alert as they did. The other guards along the security perimeter began to converge on their location. Tessa hoped they'd get there in time.

Amaterasu sighed as she floated out of the newly opened portal, her face just screaming 'disappointed'. "I don't understand you people. Your commander clearly considered the possibility that we might target the same Gate twice, or there wouldn't be _any_ guards. But in spite of this, they still sent such a small force, and it's made up of… well, let's not mince words, you kids are cannon fodder. Not only that, but you're cannon fodder of only moderate attractiveness. I was hoping to run into my Arf here, but instead I get you small fish, and frankly? You just don't do it for me." Then her glum expression noticeably brightened. "Oh well, I guess I shouldn't complain if it makes my job easier. Now, before we start, please note that I'm not a very gentle girl. You might die here, and even if you don't, this is _really_ going to hurt. If you choose to run, I won't chase you. If you don't… well, you were warned."

She didn't visibly move. She never activated her device. Raye wasn't sure exactly _what_ happened, actually; all he knew was that one second, she was a solid thirty meters away from him, and the next she was right in his face and bringing her arm up from her side in a single lightning-fast chop across her body. Tessa looked horrified, but he wasn't sure why; nothing really _hurt,_ although there was a strange pressure in his chest and there was a lot of something red in the air for some reason. A part of him realized he was probably in shock, but that part was swiftly losing out to the part of him that realized everything was going dark…

"That's one." Amaterasu said.

Realizing that he had once _again_ been utterly destroyed in a single shot by a magical woman, Raye Nissai decided to just close his eyes and embrace the unconsciousness. As he did so, he couldn't help but think, _At least I wasn't electrocuted this time._


	13. Rising Sun

"Not good." Amy said at the highly annoying readouts. "Admiral, a second incursion has opened!"

"They're retreating?"

"No! It's at the site of the last Gate! The containment team is under fire!" Amy said.

Lindy fell silent for a moment. "So… Dysval was a feint? But both of them were there, so that means either their master is finally making an appearance, or they've been hiding their capabilities even more than we thought… Either way, we need to reinforce the defense team. Reroute one of the Enforcers from Dysval; ask Chrono who can be spared, if you can. Oh, and please send a message for me. Here, I probably shouldn't say it out loud…" she said, pushing past Amy and typing a short message, followed by programming the coordinates it was to be sent to.

Amy read it. "That's… that's the whole message?"

"Yes."

"Admiral, these coordinates… that's on Midchilda, but it's one of the abandoned sectors that were destroyed a few years ago in the Testarossa Experiments. There's nobody living there."

"That is correct."

"Admiral, what's going on?" Amy asked.

Lindy smiled. "Nothing at all. Why do you ask?"

"… … … you're planning something."

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about. But you might as well send that message anyway." Lindy said in an artificially sweet tone.

And far, far away, on the world of Midchilda, in a crumbling, abandoned building, an independent remote terminal received the message. It said 'Things might be going out of control. Too soon to be certain, but be ready to move just in case. Sorry about this, I'd hoped not to put you in this position.' It then listed off two sets of coordinates.

The listener nodded and said, "All right then. Let's get ready to move."

* * *

 

She was actually rather beautiful.

Tsukuyomi's final drive was unusual. Her weapon had initially seemed to vanish, but it quickly became apparent that it had instead merged with her barrier jacket to form a set of silver armor. The gemstone that typically adorned her device was set in the center of her breastplate, the center of a stylized three-crescent design that matched the tattoo on her forehead. Similar gems also appeared on each of her newly acquired gauntlets. The entire ensemble glowed with a soft silver light at all times, and the overall effect made her look both lovely and somewhat otherworldly, like some kind of fairy.

Fate noticed this all, but did not really appreciate it because of the snakes.

The snakes had shown up rather quickly after Tsukuyomi had initiated her final drive. Shortly after taking on her weapon's strongest form, she had brought her hands together and said, "By our contract, reach across time and space to bring me my loyal servants."

 **"Summoning: Mizuchi."** Suijin had said, and six silver-blue stars had burst into existence around her. The snakes had come out of those; simply slithered right out of the empty space with not even a ripple in the air. It had taken them quite a while to slither out, because each one was as thick around as two people standing back-to-back and roughly thirty meters long. They were actually quite pretty themselves, in a sense. Their scales were a vibrant blue-white, just a shade or two lighter than the skies of Earth, and they were certainly quite sleek in appearance; the way they swam through the air looked almost like a dance.

In structure, Fate thought they looked sort of like certain species of aquatic snake that she'd seen in zoos and the like, just a lot bigger. She was hardly an expert, but she vaguely recalled that water snakes tended to be extremely poisonous more often than not. This did not fill her with confidence.

Tsukuyomi reached out and patted one of the serpents on the head, and it rubbed against her gauntleted hand like a cat. "It's nice to see you again. I know you don't like the cold, but I'm afraid I needed some help. And I'm sorry there's only three of them for the six of you. But still, I'm sure they'll be quite nutritious, so you can eat them if you want to."

As it turned out, they _did_ want to.

The 'mizuchi' did not appear to have any distance attacks of any sort, but they were fairly quick, even by her standards, and every bit as strong as one would expect a giant snake to be. The fact that she had to keep her eye on two of them at the same time didn't help.

One of the serpents came straight at her, a full-on frontal assault that could have charitably been called 'suicidal' if she hadn't known for a fact that the other had dove and was preparing to come at her from below. She only had time for one major spell, and a major spell would be required; Arf had demonstrated some ability to combat them physically, but Fate had received a painful shock up her arms and a disappointingly small wound when attempting to physically strike them with Bardiche. They may have _looked_ sleek, but they were surprisingly solid. Logically speaking, then, the choice was to use something that could hit them both at the same time, which wasn't looking plausible unless she could get them closer together.

"Bardiche!" She said, flying straight up in an effort to get both mizuchi coming at her from the same angle. They technically were, but they were smart enough to split apart and try to catch her in a pincer movement. Luckily, for this spell, it didn't really matter. **"** Spears of thunder fly straight and true! Tear through the skies and strike down my enemy! **"**

**"Photon Lancer, Phalanx Shift, get set."**

An older spell, but a good one. It couldn't be directed after the initial shot, but it had a good deal of stopping power and a fantastic area of effect. Since she could only direct Plasma Lancer rounds towards a single direction at a time (she'd never been as good at that trick as Nanoha), this older spell was actually more useful for multiple targets.

The rain of golden light shot down at the serpents pursuing her. They did their best to evade, but it was sort of like trying to dodge individual droplets in a rainstorm. Both mizuchi were battered down, disappearing under the storm of energy.

What a difference a year made… not so very long ago, that had been her most powerful spell, and it had required all of her concentration. Now it _might_ have been in the top five, and she could (as she had just discovered) pull it off when in full flight from giant snakes. She'd already known that she'd grown much stronger over the last year, but it _did_ feel somewhat nice to confirm it so blatantly.

Fate let out a sigh of relief, and took a look around the battlefield while she had a break; Arf was doing just fine, and in fact seemed to be having a grand old time. Yuuno had one of the two serpents attacking him locked in a bind, and was effectively holding the other off with a series of shields. Fate briefly wondered which of the two she should aid...

One of the mizuchi she'd 'defeated' struck at her, and she only barely brought Bardiche up in time to catch it's fangs before they dug into her. She could see the wounds she'd inflicted closing before her eyes; a brief glance showed that Tsukuyomi was pointing a glowing hand at the creature. _So unless they're completely destroyed, she can repair them? Not good._ Fate thought. This was her first encounter with Summoning magic, and so far she wasn't enjoying it. _And I bet she can call on more of them… should I use Zanbar? These things are distressingly durable, and she's not playing with me like Susa would. I might not have a choice._

Tsukuyomi watched the girl in black intently. _She managed to destroy one before I could heal it. She **is** strong. If she uses her own Final Drive, and with those other two supporting her… I might need a bigger summoning. Do I have enough energy to bring in something large enough to defeat all of them?_

_And **what** is taking big sister so long?_

* * *

 

Amaterasu sighed in annoyance.

After the ease with which the first guard had fallen, she'd been hoping for a nice, simple battle. But these kids were surprisingly effective; they watched each other's backs, kept their distance, and focused on group defense rather than trying to take her down. So far, the one she'd taken by ambush at the beginning was the only one she'd managed to inflict more than minor bruises to. She'd hoped to be able to handle this without waking up her device, since she was hoping to save her energy for the top-class enforcers, but at this rate…

She was going to beat them. She knew it, and they knew it. The problem was that she wasn't going to beat them _nearly_ quickly enough. Their defenses were sadly nothing less than…

**Magic Cancel.**

…Broken?

The Bureau mages had just enough time to let their eyes widen as their magical group shields flickered and died; the intricate web of defenses they'd prepared falling to pieces in the space of seconds.

Amaterasu spun, to see two black figures in the air behind her, both extending hands towards the Bureau mages. They didn't say anything to that effect, but the black circles around their palms suggested they were the ones disrupting their defensive efforts.

She narrowed her eyes. "You're those things that attacked Susa and Tsuku. Did… did you just help me out?" She asked suspiciously. "Because if that's the case, I just became _extremely_ confused."

Without a word, of them raised their free hands and opened fire with wrist-mounted weapons… and missed her completely. No, they were aiming right past her, at the increasingly beleaguered TSAB team.

She blinked. "Well, I guess I'll learn to live with confusion." She said, and leapt back on the offensive.

* * *

 

"Axel Shooter! _Shoot!_ " Nanoha commanded.

"Strike Flame, fire!" Chrono said, the jet of blue light joining the half-dozen pink bullets.

"Lightning Blade, go!" Susanoo ordered, swinging his glowing weapon in an arc around himself to intercept the incoming attacks.

The explosion rocked the sky for the tenth time in as many minutes, but when it cleared, all three combatants were still airborne. Nanoha held her staff at the ready, although the fight seemed to have gone to a lull after the last exchange while everyone planned what to do next. She took the time to cast a concerned glance at Chrono.

He was breathing heavily, and seemed to be far more tired than the battle should have made him. Chrono was a strong boy; maybe he lacked the raw power that Nanoha and Fate possessed, but neither one of them would have any confidence of defeating him in battle despite that. This level of combat should _not_ have left him so tired. _Is… he was completely burnt out just a few days ago. Is this some aftereffect of that?_ She wondered. The _Asura'_ s medical officers had _said_ that he would be completely recovered after a day of rest, but…

"You're… you're strange." Susanoo said, interrupting her reverie. "Your power is odd."

"How do you mean?" Nanoha asked, both out of genuine interest in starting a dialogue and genuine interest in getting Chrono a break.

"You… I don't know if you should be giving me this much trouble. I've been doing this awhile, so I've got pretty good instincts, and they're telling me you aren't as strong as Fate. But in a lot of ways, you're doing better than she does when we fight, so… I'm not sure what's going on. It's a little off-putting, frankly."

Nanoha smiled warmly. "Well… when we spar these days, she usually wins, so I think Fate is a little stronger than me. But you might have a hard time telling what her real power is like since I don't think she really knows how to fight you."

"Eh?"

"Fate used to be… well, I don't want to call her my enemy, but we were on different sides. She was stronger than me, and she'd been fighting longer… but in the end, I was the winner." Nanoha said. "She had a very harsh childhood, and experienced so little kindness in her life that she didn't know how to react to it when I tried to be her friend. So when we fought, she didn't do as well as she could have, because she didn't know what she wanted to do. She's gotten a lot better since then, but I don't know if she'll ever be completely over that feeling."

"Ooooooh, okay! That makes a lot of sense!" He said. "So you're saying I'm too nice, eh? Maybe I could get her to show a little more energy if I was really cruel and tried to kill her for real?"

"No! Not at _all_ what I meant!" Nanoha protested.

"Hee, hee… you're more open than Fate, but you're just as fun to tease." He said cheerfully. "I wouldn't use lethal force on anyone who didn't try it on me first, _especially_ not on someone like Fate. Have you _seen_ her? If I hurt her too badly, I'd feel guilty forever! It would be like… I don't know, like throwing a rock at a baby bird."

Nanoha sighed in a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "Well, your sense of humor is a little… odd… but I guess your heart is in the right place. I suppose I'm glad that you and Fate are getting along, even if it is in a strange sort of way."

"I'm happy I met Fate, too. She's kind, cute, and strong, so it's easy to like her." He said cheerfully. "Hmmm… I guess all those things also apply to you, don't they? All right, it's decided! Nantoka Takahata, you're now my friend too!"

"Thank you, but my name isn't…" Nanoha began.

"I won't accept 'no' for an answer, buddy! And even though we're friends, you still have to buy me lunch if I defeat you here." Susanoo declared firmly.

"I wasn't going to say 'no'. I'd be happy to get to know you better. It's just that my name is actually…"

Continuing to ignore her, he turned to Chrono, who was looking a bit bemused. "You're kind of lame. I guess that since you're Fate's brother I'll tolerate you, but I don't really care if you want to be friends or not. You can do whatever you want."

Chrono's eyes widened. "' _Kind of lame'?!"_ He snapped.

"Well, you just aren't very strong… it's a bit sad, but not everybody can be good at this, so don't worry too much about it."

Chrono didn't look happy. "Oh, that's it, I am going to kick your-"

 _Chrono, we have a problem._ Amy's voice sounded in his head.

_I'm a bit busy right now!_

_You're busy fighting a distraction! They're making another move for the Gate they targeted last time!_

_But both of them are… the master showed up?!_

_Maybe not._ Nanoha interjected. _In the myth, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo are two of a set of triplets. When we first met, they mentioned an older sister…_

 _Whatever the case, at last communication they'd reported a casualty. We need to reinforce them immediately! Can you spare anyone?_ Amy requested.

He thought for a moment, looking at the other battle going on, and said, _Okay. We can spare Nanoha._

" ** _What?!_** "Nanoha shouted.

 _"_ GAH!" Susanoo said, startled out of a complacent silence. He'd decided to be politely quiet while they had their obvious telepathic conference, and had been a little shocked by the sudden outburst. "What?! What happened?!"

"Sorry, it's nothing important, don't worry about it." Nanoha said calmly, giving a gesture that indicated nothing important was going on at all. _Chronooooooooo! No way, that is **not** going to happen! I'm not leaving you here alone! _She snapped internally.

_Nanoha, I'll be fine. I can take him._

_But you've been acting strange! If you're still sick or something from the other day, then…_

_Nanoha, there's already a team at the site, so I'd prefer not to give up too much of this group's firepower since we might never get a better chance to capture these two. That means we send one mage. Yuuno doesn't have the offensive power, I have to stay here with the larger of the two deployments, and Fate and Arf fight better as a unit. You go and assess the situation. Don't engage if you don't think you can win; just act as cover for the site team's retreat if you have to._

_I… I…_

_Don't worry._ Chrono said with a smile. _I can handle myself. We'll come support you as soon as we're finished here._

Nanoha smiled reluctantly in return. _That's my line. Be **careful** , Chrono. You don't seem…_

 _Amy? Nanoha is ready for transmission._ Chrono thought before she could finish. In a matter of seconds, that familiar white light shrouded her, and she was gone.

Susanoo blinked in confusion. "Um… nothing personal, but you _do_ realize that you just sent away your only hope of winning, right? I mean, I guess that you didn't have many _good_ options, but leaving yourself alone was probably the worst…"

Chrono turned to face him, and said, "Not really. This way, I don't have to worry about anyone else getting hurt while I deal with you."

"Sure. You just keep telling yourself that." Susanoo said.

And then he charged.

* * *

 

Amaterasu looked down at the fallen mages. She smiled just a little bit as she saw that apparently, their Barrier Jackets were keeping them afloat… they wouldn't drown, at least. Her highness had wanted to keep casualties to a minimum for the initial stages of the operation, only killing opponents who seemed to pose a legitimate threat to the completion of the operation. Susa had no problems with this, but she and Tsuku had a tendency to play rough. Tsukuyomi just tried to get her work done coldly and efficiently without concern for much else, but Amaterasu freely admitted that she tended to over-do things once she actually got involved in a battle. Normally it didn't matter, but when she was trying _not_ to exterminate the enemy, it got a little troublesome.

"So?" She asked the twin cyborgs. "I appreciate the assistance, don't get me wrong. But you things were bullying my darling little brother and sister, so unless you want me to peel you open and see what parts are still human, you'd better have a very good explanation for what's going on here."

Without a word, one of them raised its hand. A small black card appeared in the air over its palm. Without a word, it seized this card between its fingers and flicked it toward Amaterasu.

Also without a word, she caught it. _Some kind of data storage unit? Doesn't seem to be a trap…_ silently running a basic analysis spell as she did. "And this is what? A message, demand for surrender, what?"

The two black figures 'spoke' for the second and final time. **For your master.**

Then, in a burst of static, they were gone.

Amaterasu gave the black card another look over. "For her majesty, then? Then I suppose that it's her call what to do with whatever is stored on here. Okay, could you hold this for me? And get out the Drive unit so I can…" She began to say to her device, only to stop in mid-sentence. The black card disappeared into the pendant, but nothing emerged in its place as she continued, "… never mind. We have one more guest."

Amaterasu turned to look at the little girl who had just appeared in the sky behind her. "Oh my… you're the one who's been giving Tsuku fits, then?"

Nanoha looked at her seriously, "Are you responsible for this?" she said, gazing at the fallen mages in the waters below. _Amy? Can you hear me? Things are worse than we thought. Withdraw the field team immediately, and get ready to bring me back if I call you._

"Mostly. I had some help." Amaterasu said. "Don't worry, I think I left them all alive. And their barrier jackets double as flotation devices? That's a nice touch. But you should still see about getting them some medical… oh, you've already called it in? What a thoughtful girl." She continued, watching as the people in question vanished from their places in bursts of white light.

"You _do_ look like the two of them. Tsukuyomi and Susanoo. Might I ask how you're connected to them?"

"I'm their beautiful elder sister, of course!" Amaterasu said with a wink. "I'm sure they've told you all about me?"

"Um… actually, they might have mentioned you once or twice in passing, but that's it." Nanoha said earnestly.

"… … … … … eh?"

"They haven't really talked about you at all."

"Whaaaaaaat?! Oh, how could they?! So cruel, such cruel children! After all we've been through, they just pretend I don't exist whenever I'm not around?!" Amaterasu whined. "You're sure they haven't talked about me? Amaterasu! Am-a-ter-a-su! You're sure the name isn't familiar?"

"… Yes, that name _is_ very familiar, but not for the reasons you're hoping. At most, they might have offhandedly said something about you, once or twice, but I'm afraid that's it. Sorry." Nanoha said, in what she hoped was a conciliatory tone.

"… Oh well!" Amaterasu said quite suddenly. "I guess those distant attitudes are sort of charming, coming from them. Deep down they're really just full of affection, but they're too shy to show it." She finished, closing her eyes as if picturing something nice. She began visibly blushing.

"… if you say so." Nanoha said, wondering _why_ , exactly, she was visibly blushing.

"Oh, no, it's true. They're really just the cutest little things once you really get to know… them…" She said, opening her eyes and looking at Nanoha as if seeing her for the first time. "Oh, my."

"Is… is something wrong…"

Amaterasu continued to stare, floating closer to Nanoha and leaning over to look at her more closely.

This continued for several extremely awkward seconds.

" _Squeeeeeeeee!"_ She finally said.

"Eeek!" Nanoha squeaked, caught somewhat off-guard.

"So adorable! Oh, my… I'm sorry, I've seen pictures, but they hardly do you justice!" Amaterasu proclaimed, eyes shining. "You're the very image of an adorable young schoolgirl in the spring of her youth, and yet you act so levelheaded and mature! Oh, it's too much!"

"… thank… you?"

"Oh, this outfit is just _perfect_ , it is _so you_ , but I think we can do _better_ than perfect!" Amaterasu said cheerfully, examining Nanoha's barrier jacket. "I'm thinking something maybe a little sleeker? The ruffles and ribbons are very nice, don't get me wrong, a little girl in a cute frilly dress is never a mistake, but I think something a little more form-fitting would also look very cute on you… oh, now I can't decide what's better!"

"What _are_ you…"

Amaterasu continued as if Nanoha had not spoken. "And your skin is so pale and pretty, maybe some darker colors would look nice on you, as a sort of contrast? Oh, but this white really creates that 'pure and innocent' image that the fans love… I know! We'll just need to get you a whole new wardrobe! That way you can have a bunch of different outfits, and you can switch between them for each mission!"

"The _fans_? What do you-" Nanoha began, her confusion only deepening.

"Oh, don't worry, they can be practical too! Like, let's say you need to fight someone that shoots lightning, then maybe you wear a rubber bodysuit! Oh, but that would look tacky, of course, so you wear it _under_ something … a dress. Pink, plenty of frills, like this one, and… _yes. Cat ears._ "

" _What?!"_ Nanoha blurted, eyes wide in some combination of confusion, surprise, and just a tinge of fear. She was a relatively innocent young girl, but even she was quickly beginning to realize this conversation was going somewhere it shouldn't.

"Yes. Yes. Yes. I can see it now." Amaterasu said, closing her eyes to picture this. "Perfection _._ "

Nanoha's mouth opened and closed a few times, but no words came out for several seconds.

"Hmmmm? Are you okay?"

"… a bit confused, is all. And a little worried..."

"Oh. OH! Sorry, yes, that's right, we should be enemies and all that." Amaterasu agreed. "… … … you're _sure_ you don't want to wear the cat ears? Because I can get you some, and you'd just look…"

"No!"

Amaterasu let out a sigh of sadness. "Ah, well," She said.

She swung her hand around in a lightning-fast chop, something appearing in it mid-swing in a flash of red light.

The shift from slightly creepy conversation to battle was so sudden that Nanoha nearly lost the fight right there. As it was, Raising Heart was nearly knocked out of her hands by the sudden parry, and while she was off-balance she nearly found herself impaled by Amaterasu's free hand diving in at her midsection.

Nanoha shifted her weapon, bringing the shaft of Raising Heart in line with the incoming hand while still holding the spear at bay. The bare hand slammed into the staff with force that continued to surprise her coming from people who looked fairly normal except for the hair, pushing her back in the sky. Amaterasu did not pursue, instead watching intently and nodding once.

"Nice reflexes." She said. Her device, a six-foot crimson spear topped with a curved silver blade, a bit like a kwan dao or naginata, was active in her left hand. "If you'd been even a second slower, I would have taken your head off. Right, Kagutsuchi?"

 **"Affirmative, General."** The spear said in a clipped, formal masculine tone.

"Did... did you _really_ just try to kill me over cat ears?" Nanoha asked, a bit stunned.

Amaterasu giggled. "No, no. It's just that you've given Tsuku a lot of trouble, so I can't afford to be gentle with you. … Although I wasn't joking when I said that little cat ears would look just _adorable_ on you. But if you really don't want to wear the ears, I have other ideas. How about something a little bit like what that girl in the black you work with wears? But I think blue might suit you better than black, and we could differentiate you from her by giving you… hmmm… maybe a hat would look nice? A cute hat, maybe a little bit gaudy but in a nice way, with bells on it possibly, or…"

"Prepare for combat, Raising Heart." Nanoha said.

" **Stand by, ready."**

Amaterasu sighed, and raised her weapon. "No appreciation for art, these days."

* * *

 

Blue light exploded through the sky, and Chrono went flying back, clutching a shallow cut to his midsection. His barrier jacket should handle the bleeding quickly, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. He gritted his teeth in annoyance.

"Look, kid." Susanoo said. "I've been taking it kind of easy on you, since I can sorta empathize with having a frustrating sister. But the fact remains that is Fate is much stronger than you, and if _she_ has trouble facing me one-on-one, you should be smart enough to realize that your hopes of victory left along with Nano… Nanto… what's-her-name."

"It's 'Captain', not 'kid'. And do I really seem like the sort of person who would just give up?!" Chrono growled.

"HA! Well, you get points for spirit, at least." Susanoo said cheerfully. In the blink of an eye, he closed the gap between them, bringing his weapon crashing down on Durandal in an overhead chop. "But _only_ for spirit. Fire, Raijin."

" **Thunderclap!"** The axe said cheerfully. Still locked with Durandal, the blade began to glow blue before releasing what was normally intended to be a ranged attack directly into Chrono's face.

The lightning mostly broke due to being released directly into Durandal, but far, far too much energy poured into Chrono's barrier jacket. He was actually on fire in places as he tumbled from the sky with disturbing velocity and struck the ground so hard it cracked.

"Sorry, I had to be so rough… kid." Susanoo said. He began to wheel and head towards Tsukuyomi to help out, when a small movement caught his eye. "… you can't be serious." He said.

Chrono struggled to his feet on unsteady legs, raising his hand to wipe blood from the corner of his mouth. His barrier jacket had seen better days and Durandal had a visible crack running halfway along its main body, but he managed to find his legs and adopt a combat stance.

"Gods, you _are_ serious." Susanoo said, floating down closer to the grounded mage. "Learn when you're beaten, kid."

"Didn't… I… just… say… I'm not the sort of person… who gives up?" Chrono said.

Susanoo blinked a few times… then a grin grew on his mouth. "You may only get points for spirit… but you get a _lot_ of points. Okay, then, if you insist, I'll pursue this for as long as you can keep standing up."

Chrono smiled too. It was not a pleasant grin. "No, you won't."

A blue Midchildan circle burst into existence just as Susanoo charged, and a binding spell lashed out of it like a whip. The blue-white chains wrapped around Raijin in the blink of an eye, stopping the rush cold as the weapon refused to continue along with its wielder. "What the-?!" Susanoo managed to gasp out, before six more identical circles burst into existence around him and snared all of his free limbs. "This is six… no, _seven_ binds all at once?! There's no way that you could have cast a spell this complex so quickly!"

"Quickly?" Chrono asked, his voice much more collected. He stood up straighter and brushed off his jacket. While he still didn't look exactly chipper, he seemed noticeably less fatigued than he had just a few seconds ago. "It's taken me the entire battle to set this up. Frankly, it's been a pain and it cost a lot of magical energy, but I think it was worth the effort, even if I did end up taking more damage than I planned."

"You… you were preparing this spell the entire time? Right from the beginning?!"

"That first attack? The one you 'shrugged off'? That was the marker, to make you the target for the delayed binds I've been setting up since then." Chrono said. He shrugged, as if it wasn't really important. "You were right when you said that I don't have Fate's raw power. So if I want to deal with a monster like you, I can't afford a long battle of attrition. Taking you down with a single huge strike is the best way to handle it."

Susanoo smirked slightly. "You have the control to set up a bind that can nullify even my strength, and you can do it when you're wounded and taking hits, while casting other combat magic at the same time? I'd say you're one of those 'monsters' yourself."

Chrono leveled his weapon at the trapped boy. "I'll choose to take that as a compliment. Durandal… bind him in chains of frost, and let him sleep from now until the world ends."

" **Eternal Coffin."** Durandal said.

"This… this isn't normal ice, is it?" Susanoo said as the air around him began to crystallize.

"Eternal Coffin. It's a freezing spell that slows the passage of time and halts molecular motion to almost zero within the area of its effect." Chrono said. "This is the spell that Durandal was specifically created to cast, a prison capable of containing even the highest class Lost Logia. You're a strong one, but nothing can escape without help from the outside. Don't worry too much; you won't _actually_ sleep forever, just long enough for us to prepare more mundane containment for you. Oh, and to make this official? You're under arrest."

Susanoo sighed and gave a self-deprecating grin as the ice worked its way towards his head. "I suppose this is what I get for underestimating Fate's brother. Nice one… Captain." He said as the spell closed, leaving him trapped in a crystalline tower.

Chrono turned to head to the other battle, not sparing him a second glance.

* * *

 

Red and pink blurs tore through the skies.

Even as she flew, Amaterasu clenched one fist in front of her, and it burst into flames. Nanoha, likewise, gathered light into the tip of Raising Heart without ever breaking pace.

Both released their attacks, a swarm of smaller bullets, at the same time. Streaks of pink light ripped into fireballs, the scattered shots ripping each other to pieces and exploding violently. Amaterasu burst through the smoke, her halberd held at her side and brought around in a wide arc as soon as she got within range for a physical strike.

Nanoha instantly saw it for what it was; if she tried to retreat, the deceptively long spear would still wing her, and if she tried to block, she'd be, at best, managing a stalemate and more likely get herself stabbed. So she took a third option. Cutting out her flight spell, she dropped below the arc of the weapon and raised her own device to take aim while still in freefall. "Maximum power, Raising Heart!"

" **Divine Buster."**

Amaterasu sighed in annoyance and almost danced out of the way of the incoming beam. "Really now, nulling your own flight spell to dodge an attack? You thought I would fall for a trick my own sister thought up?"

Nanoha, still in freefall, just smiled.

And that was when the tiny pink bullets, which must have been leftover from their earlier exchange, ripped through the sky towards Amaterasu and came uncomfortably close to ripping her _out_ of the sky. A hastily erected shield took the brunt of it, but at least one bullet got through and…

"… you killed my jacket?" Amaterasu said, looking at the new hole in her barrier jacket. "I know it will repair itself, but really, that's just mean. Ah well, I guess it's better than if all of them had hit me. I might have gotten hurt."

Nanoha sighed, setting down on the ground (the ground? They must have flown further than she'd thought during the fight. She hadn't even noticed that they weren't over the ocean anymore. Just as well, since trying to land in water would have been embarrassing). "Well, it was _supposed_ to hurt you. Not much, just enough so you'd lose consciousness and I could take you in…"

"Well, that's mean too. Shouldn't you be trying to make friends with me? Tsuku said you're big on that."

Nanoha had the good grace to look embarrassed. "Well… it's just that after all that talk about dressing me up in different outfits, I began to think that maybe it would be better if I waited to talk to you… not your sister, you in particular… _after_ you were already in a jail cell. I mean, I'd still like to speak with you, get to know you… just when your hands are restrained."

Amaterasu pouted. "You sound just like Susa. A certain level of affection is normal!"

"Well, there's nothing wrong with being friendly but… I got the impression that you were being a bit _too_ friendly, if that makes sense?" Nanoha said, sounding a bit unsure of herself. "Like maybe your interest wasn't something that I should be encouraging."

Amaterasu nodded reluctantly. "Well… you are a bit young, so I probably should have controlled myself more. Sorry about that. If it's any consolation, I think I'm starting to see why Tsuku thought you were dangerous enough to kill, so I'm probably going to finish you off."

"… why would that be a consolation?!"

Amaterasu shrugged and traced a small circle in the air with the tip of her staff. This circle burst into flames, and the turbine on the spear began to spin as its charge system activated. "Well, maybe it's not a very _good_ consolation, but people who are about to die should really take what they can get. Reduce her to ashes, Kagutsuchi."

" **Blaze Cannon!"** The spear said, releasing a jet of flame that shot towards Nanoha, who raised her staff and responded in kind…

"Ah. Things have begun to go awry…" Tsukuyomi said softly, sparing her brother a worried glance. _Energy is beginning to become an issue. I cannot maintain my final drive for much longer if I seek to continue fighting, but if I abandon it, my summons will disappear… How aggravating. I had hoped that big sister would have come to our aid by now and we could finish this without using that woman's help. Ah, well… if Susanoo has been disabled, I have little choice but to seek aid where I can._

"Your partner has been defeated. Seal your device and hand over the Dimension Driver." Chrono said, joining the group surrounding her.

"Congratulations on defeating Susa, and thank you for not hurting him." She said earnestly. Her armor dissolved, returning to the form of a staff, and her summoned beasts vanished as their supply of magical energy was cut off. "But I'm afraid I can't simply surrender…"

Chrono did not seem particularly concerned by this. "You can't fight with your full power anymore, and you're outnumbered four to one. If you don't want to simply be taken in by force, I suggest you consider it."

"You are mistaken in several respects. First, there is still one card left to play, although I was hesitant to do so. Second, I cannot give you my Dimension Driver… because I don't have one." Tsukuyomi said.

"Then this _was_ just a diversion." Fate said. "The Drive unit is with the person Nanoha is fighting?"

Tsukuyomi shook her head. "Again, you misunderstand. First of all, the person you sent your friend to battle is our oldest sibling, and our leader. She is selfish, and lazy, and childish, and a shameless flirt… but neither Susa nor I have ever defeated her one-on-one. Takamachi is skilled, but she is not 'fighting'. She is 'being defeated', even if she hasn't realized this yet.

"Second," She continued, ignoring the growing worry on the faces of everyone present. "This is not a 'diversion'. This is a 'trap'. Hold them, Suijin."

 **"Time Seal – Eclipse Chain."** Suijin said, making the sky go dark as it moved the battlefield out of sync with time behind a containment barrier.

"It's time, Master." Tsukuyomi said.

* * *

 

Her master agreed.

Enlil took a deep breath, and raised one hand.

The darkened palace burst into brilliant light for the first time in centuries, an eye-searing scarlet glow centered on the cloaked queen. A portal opened, as before, but it could not be compared to the others… rather than a small window, this was an enormous rip in the fabric of existence, very nearly a full-on dimensional tremor. Indeed, the only major difference between the two was stability; whereas a rip or tremor would have continued growing uncontrollably, the portal reached a preprogrammed size and stopped.

It reached a preprogrammed size _outside_. Had it been within the palace, it would have swallowed most of the building.

Enlil fell to her knees and gestured to the window and the device outside it. "Go, and take it with you. _Hurry_."

Precia did not move for several long seconds. "You seem tired." She said, thoughtfully.

 _Has she finally snapped?_ Enlil wondered. "Of course I am! This… is… very… _hard!_ You devised the ritual yourself, you know how much it costs! Now _go!_ "

Precia stared for another second.

The initial ritual she'd developed had required fourteen Jewel Seeds to create a stable breach in the dimensional void. Yet Enlil was creating one so much larger than originally planned, by herself? Not possible. The strain should have destroyed her body ten seconds into the attempt. This confirmed beyond any possible doubt what Precia had suspected for some time now; there was an external power source of some sort at work here. And now she had a fairly good idea of its limits, as well. They were not terribly limiting, by most standards, but they did exist.

Every little chink in the armor helped.

Unfortunately, she was still not in a position to take advantage of the momentary weakness… it was just nice to know it existed. Content, for the moment, with leaving Enlil with the impression 'I could have done something if I'd really wanted to', Precia turned and floated serenely towards the window, which opened for her. It let in the cold, but thankfully nothing else; it was the palace's defensive shielding that kept the void energies out, not the glass. As she flew over the dormant machine outside, it too activated. Lights flared into existence across the dull metal surface, and with a scream of enormous motors bursting into action, it stood up.

And up.

And up.

Precia approved. While she loathed having to admit to any particular connection to that overly affectionate blue-haired twit, at the very least she could appreciate Amaterasu's penchant for overwhelming firepower.

The portal that opened behind Tsukuyomi was similar to the ones that they had seen before, in the same way that Arf's combat form was similar to a Chihuahua; A black tear in reality that extended for nearly a kilometer in every direction, blocking out so much of the horizon that Fate had to retreat a surprising distance simply to see how large it actually was. And for the first time, enough light was flooding into it to allow an image of what was the other side to be seen.

It was strange… Fate knew she'd never seen any of it before, and yet the city in the darkness looked oddly familiar. The architecture, the sigils glowing on several of the buildings, just the general _feel_ of the place was simultaneously strange and yet somehow… nostalgic.

"It is. It has to be… but it _can't_ be, the timing is all wrong…" Yuuno muttered under his breath. Fate was about to ask him what he meant, when a person came out of the portal, and thought became an impossibility.

Fate tried to say something, when she saw her mother. She didn't know _what_ , but she tried to say something, anything. She just wasn't sure what to say, because she couldn't tell how she felt. No, that wasn't exactly true… she knew how she was feeling. She was happy. For most of her life, mother had been her most important person, and she was, in spite of all that had happened, glad to see that she was alive. The problem was that she was also sad, and angry, and frightened… little shards of all of these emotions were running through her brain all at once, and she didn't know which of them she should give voice to, which was most important. To say nothing of the _biggest_ feeling she had right now, which was _shock._

She wanted to say something. But all she could do was keep staring in stunned silence.

"That's… it can't be…" Yuuno said.

"No. No, no, no…" Arf said.

As usual, however, it was Chrono who fixated on what really mattered. "What…" He asked, "Is that thing behind her?"

And enormous metallic tower emerged from the monstrous portal, slamming down next to Precia with a crash. Then another one slammed down on the other side of her. Then the first inexplicably lifted off the ground, moved several hundred meters forward, and slammed down again. As this happened, what appeared to be a wall of metal began to appear out of the portal, and Chrono vaguely realized that the movement of the 'towers' were an awful lot like footsteps.

* * *

 

Amaterasu turned to look at the sky. "Things are starting to get serious, then? Okay, I suppose its time I dealt with this situation. I think I've got you down well enough. Kagutsuchi, halt her retreat, and then reconfigure for single combat."

" **Yes, General. Reality Prison, materialize."** The spear said in the same clipped, formal tone, like a soldier saluting a superior officer. The sky darkened as a barrier appeared, not a mere temporal displacement but a containment field designed to prevent escape. **"Exorcism form, set up."** The device continued, switching into a second mode. The actual changes were minor; the curved blade straightened and became more like a western spear than a kwan dao, and the shaft retracted very slightly. Beyond that, there weren't any visible differences in the weapon or wielder.

Amaterasu charged, and at least one visible difference became apparent.

 _She's faster than before…!_ Nanoha had time to think. Still, it wasn't horrible; Nanoha was used to sparring with someone even faster than that. Getting a barrier up in time was hardly impossible; the pink circle appeared in front of her, solid and strong.

Coming straight on instead of the usual wide slashes, the tip of Kagutsuchi struck her shield… and went right through like it was nothing but air.

Nanoha got over her shock just in time to avoid being impaled, parrying physically again. The spear slid past her guard and nicked her barrier jacket despite her best efforts, but she didn't _die,_ which meant it was worth it. Rather than try to lock weapons, Amaterasu used her momentum to spin past Nanoha and take another slash at her legs, forcing Nanoha to fly backwards out of her range.

 _What… what was that?!_ Nanoha wondered frantically. _My shield didn't have any problems setting up, there's no way she could have just…_

Her confusion was interrupted by the feeling of something warm trickling down her left shoulder, where she'd been lightly hit a few seconds earlier. In disbelief, she stared at it to see blood beginning to soak through her barrier jacket. The cut was small, shallow and paper-thin, she couldn't even feel it through all the adrenaline in her system, but for such a weak hit to have gone through her barrier jacket at all, like it was nothing more than cotton…

Amaterasu flicked a drop of blood off her spear. "Confused? Don't worry." She said, raising the tip of her weapon and taking a stance. "It'll be over soon."


	14. Falling Stars

"A third incursion? And we've lost contact with both sites?" Lindy asked.

"Yes, Admiral. Barrier spells have been cast on both battle zones; we can't manage communications or retrieval yet, but I'm working on it. Hopefully I should be able to at least manage communications soon, but for now we're completely cut off." Amy admitted sadly.

Lindy sighed. "Well, they might have started moving already, but just in case… send a message, just the words 'move out'. Same coordinates as before."

Amy arched one eyebrow. "You mean the coordinates that 'don't have anything'."

"Yes."

"… You're not going to tell me what's going on, are you?"

"Nothing's going on." Lindy said cheerfully.

"You know, Chrono may not be as much fun as you, but at least he keeps me in the loop."

"There is no loop to keep you in." Lindy said, just as cheerfully.

"Yeah, yeah." Amy grumbled, transmitting the message as she did.

* * *

 

" _Fall back!_ " Chrono snapped, following his own advice as he gave it. He didn't want to admit it, but his eyes were being fairly clear on the subject. The thing was only half-way out of the opening, but if it was proportionate to its legs, the war drone… and that's what it _had_ to be… was roughly equal, in terms of sheer mass, to the _Asura._ He didn't even want to _know_ what kind of firepower that sort of thing would have.

His people, while understandably still somewhat shocked for more than one reason, had the presence of mind to follow his orders… except for Fate, who was simply floating in place, dumbfounded. Chrono, not for the first time in his life, cursed Precia Testarossa. His sister was a strong girl, but she was also a girl that had been horribly traumatized. Just by _existing,_ Precia was poking her in a gaping emotional wound that was far from finished healing.

Precia looked directly at Fate, and smiled.

It was not a nice smile.

The combat drone behind her took its final step onto the battlefield, and the enormous portal closed behind it. The machine itself vaguely resembled a clawless, four-legged metal crab, with the exception of a cyclopean 'head' protruding from the otherwise flat disk of the main body. Precia, almost lazily, pointed one finger at Fate, and a six-pointed white star appeared in the air in front of the machine's single red eye. **"Primary weapon systems, locked on."** It said, a massive bass-deep voice that brought to mind a vengeful god looking down and declaring what it saw to be unworthy.

" _Fate_!" Chrono shouted, turning instantly to rush to his sister's aid. He didn't even make it halfway, because Arf had beaten him to the punch by a significant margin.

Arf tackled Fate out of the way at top speed, eliciting a startled grunt from the girl. "Arf?" She managed to say.

"It's okay sweetie, it's all gonna be…" Arf began, still going into evasive maneuvers as she did so.

The weapon fired.

The machine that Amaterasu had lovingly unearthed and which Precia was now in control of was technically named 'Aharasala Heavy Industries AS Cannon Platform, model 201'. It was more commonly referred to as a 'Colossus'. It was not, generally speaking, an anti-mage weapon; of course, 'generally speaking' the best weapon to use against a high-level mage was another high-level mage, but in this case, the Colossus was not an anti-mage weapon because using it against individual mages was the grossest of overkill. The 'AS' meant 'anti-ship', as the Colossus was a mobile defense platform designed to repel orbital bombardments, with weapons meant to be used against warships and armor designed to withstand return fire from the same. Using firepower of that level in an anti-personnel capacity was roughly the equivalent of using a flamethrower to rid your house of termites; it would work, but the collateral damage would make it hardly worthwhile. Basically the only safe way to use such a weapon was to make sure it was only ever pointed straight up, in which case it worked very well.

As Amaterasu had reasoned, however, if the battle was taking place in an area you didn't really care about damaging…

There was a burst of rainbow at the origin point of the blast, but the beam itself was pure, vibrant white. It streaked through the space that Fate and Arf had vacated only seconds before, flying across the landscape and punching right through the containment barrier. Tsukuyomi sighed in annoyance before reestablishing it. _Full power? It would be overkill with half that, **and** it would save me a great deal of energy on keeping this barrier up. _She thought, resolving to inform Precia of this at the next available opportunity. These cannons could only fire at full force once every five minutes or so, so there would be time.

It continued along the frozen plains until it struck a small mountain range and exploded.

The light was impossible to look directly at; Chrono knew better than to even try, but Yuuno was briefly blinded. Gale force winds briefly rocked the area as the shockwaves from the blast were felt even through the time seal. When the maelstrom cleared, the vast majority of the distant mountain that had taken the direct hit was simply _gone._ The remnant was glowing red hot, carved out as smooth as glass. Several nearby peaks were likewise missing significant portions of their former selves, sizzling in the air. "What the…" He managed to stammer out. _Are… are they completely insane?! A weapon like that against individual mages?! That's at **least** an anti-army magic, only an utter lunatic would risk using that kind of firepower anywhere near their own troops! _He thought. And in reality, an utter lunatic _had_ considered this; in fact, several utter lunatics had considered this, the plan had been approved by someone who recognized they did some of their best work by _being_ utter lunatics, and the woman pulling the trigger was unstable at best. This just goes to show that Chrono really does know what he's doing, even when he doesn't know that he knows.

Arf fought down a growl. That had not been a non-lethal spell by any stretch of the imagination, and yet that _witch_ had discharged such a weapon at Fate, at her own flesh and blood. Arf looked at the little girl in her arms, who still seemed to be having trouble processing what was going on, and didn't even bother to hide the snarl in her throat or the fact her eyes were rapidly becoming less human. _That witch is doing it again…she's hurting Fate all over again…!_

Precia, in turn, seemed to have already forgotten about Fate, in favor of casting a scathing glare at Chrono himself.

"I remember _you,_ too." She said coldly, raising her staff. The skies went darker than ever, and violet lightning began to play among the clouds.

 _We may be in trouble,_ Chrono thought.

* * *

 

Nanoha gripped her shoulder in confusion. Her shields had been steady and solid, her stance perfect. And yet somehow, that spear had gone through both her defensive spell and her barrier jacket as if they were empty air.

_How… how did she…?_

"I showed you a bit of my real speed, but I'm guessing you're more concerned with how I broke your defenses?" Amaterasu asked almost conversationally. "It's natural to be confused, but don't lower your guard."

Then she struck again.

It was strange to see… one second, she was a reasonably safe distance away, the next the tip of the spear was uncomfortably close to Nanoha's face. 'Within six inches' close.

Not for the first time, Nanoha thanked whatever combination of luck and destiny had conspired to let her meet Fate. Not simply because Fate was her dearest friend, and the girl who understood her better than anyone else… no, right this second, she was tad more grateful for the fact that it meant she regularly sparred with someone much faster than herself. It had kept her from being impaled at least twice so far. A bit more _pragmatic_ than she liked her thoughts of Fate to be, but as she the spear slipped so close to her head she could feel the wind from the thrust, she decided Fate wouldn't have problem with it as long as it kept her first real friend from ending up in the Bureau's KIA files.

Amaterasu shot past her, but recovered distressingly quickly, spun on one heel out of her charge and swept her spear at Nanoha's legs. No longer trusting her defenses, Nanoha took the battle back to the skies rather than try to deflect the blow. _The first thing to do is find out what works and what doesn't. Barriers are out, but let's see if offensive spells have any effect._

She whipped her hand around, sending a half-dozen pink bullets racing out. Amaterasu wove almost effortlessly through the hail of light, unable to avoid only one of the bolts… which the tip of her spear sliced through, making it break into harmless specks of light before vanishing entirely. This looked impressive for a brief moment, before the other five bolts turned in the air to pursue the blue-haired woman and forced her to cut off her attack on Nanoha to defend herself.

 _So this form dispels anything the spear cuts?_ Nanoha thought, considering what she'd seen so far. _I'm not sure exactly how it works, but that's the general effect._ A good effect, too, especially in use against mages like Nanoha, who were better at the energy half of combat magic than the physical half. It was days like this that she wished Raising Heart was a little bit of a better melee weapon; it's only real close combat form was in Excelion mode, and even that made a blade out of magical energy for its up-close attacks. She might as well try fighting with a sword made out of crackers for all the good _that_ would do her. _Still it's not like she has no weaknesses._ Nanoha observed, watching the woman persistently dodging or cutting the bullets, rather than raising any shields or attempting attack magic of her own. If her device was anti-magic, it would only make sense that using it to cast spells wouldn't work.

So the woman was more or less immune to magical assault, or at least easily able to counter it, but was in turn unable to cast any spells that required her device. With her defenses thinned like that, a physical, and if possible entirely non-magical attack might actually be the best option.

 _If I actually had any of those, I might be more confident._ Nanoha thought dryly as Amaterasu batted away her last shot and turned to face her. _But it's a starting point._

* * *

 

 _Not good!_ Chrono thought, the smell of ozone filling his nostrils as violet lightning struck far, far too close for his taste. The storm got more intense the closer he got to Precia, and the bolts seemed drawn to magical energy, the result being that nearly any attack he tried to launch at her, close- or long-range, put him in danger of ending up on a fried food menu. Attack and defense all in one, and she was still maintaining some pretty sturdy automated defenses, as the few (wasted) attacks he'd managed to get off had shown… as much as he might have disliked the woman personally, you couldn't say she didn't know what she was doing.

 _Scrya, are you…_ Chrono began, before he actually caught sight of Yuuno. The librarian was floating serenely, shrouded in soft green light. A bolt from the sky struck him, but the only indication he even noticed it was a ripple in his personal shield. Rather than stop there, however, a trail of emerald ran back up the path the lightning had taken, and the gathered clouds began to thin when it reached them.

 _I think I've defused that annoying storm, but that's about all I could manage. No way any of my bindings will stick through her defenses, and this barrier is a lot more sturdy than I expected._ Yuuno replied tersely.

_Fair enough, good work. For now, just stay turtled until I can think of a plan._

_I'm not a turtle, I'm a ferr… I **mean** I'm a **person**! _Yuuno snapped mentally.

_Not the time to discuss your bizarre animal fixation._

_I do **not** have a-_

**_Dodge!_** Chrono mentally screamed.

Yuuno, not being one to test that sort of thought, took off straight up as quickly as he could manage. The shockwaves from the white beam that tore through the air he had just vacated sped that up quite a bit more. "Aaaaaaaah!" Yuuno said eloquently as he was sent tumbling through the sky. _Ow… I'm going to have bruises on my bruises tomorrow…_ He thought.

 _This is bad._ Chrono thought. _Here's the game plan. Arf can take care of Fate, and we move in closer to keep them from firing that cannon. I can hold Precia for a bit, so I'll need you to watch my back, but it's more important to get this barrier down and get us **out** of here. If it's a choice between protecting me and doing that, you **do that**. _

_We're retreating?_

_Unless you **wanted** to be vaporized._

… _Actually, I've been working on that barrier thing since Precia showed up_. Yuuno admitted sheepishly.

 _Well, keep trying… I'll give what support I can, but don't depend too much on me. We need to hold out until we can retreat, or Fate manages to pull herself together. Either way, we should..._ Chrono began.

Realistically, Susanoo was still trapped, and Tsukuyomi was busy attempting to reclaim some of her lost energy while Precia provided a distraction. Had he managed to get his plan fully into action, he and Yuuno very likely _could_ have pulled it off by themselves.

Unfortunately, he was neglecting one very important thing: very few things can get as _angry_ as a canine, even a humanoid one, whose master has been threatened.

Fate's feelings for Precia were varied, ambiguous, and incredibly confusing. Arf's were not. She _hated_ Precia Testarossa, hated her with every fiber of her being. As Fate's familiar, a being that was literally _born_ to protect Fate, she couldn't help it. Precia had hurt Fate more than anybody else alive, both physically and emotionally, and Arf despised her for it.

And so it was the Arf took the barely coherent Fate to ground level and deposited her in a small outcropping of the local vegetation where she'd harder to see or target (the local vegetation was brutally hard to kill, so it had managed to survive the running fight surprisingly well. Had this fight been taking place in the wilderness on Earth, the wilderness on Earth would have been kindling ten minutes in).

"Stay safe, Fate. I know you wouldn't want me to kill her, so I won't." Arf said, her voice far more calm than her eyes suggested she actually was. "On purpose."

And that's when Arf threw caution to the wind and launched herself, full-force, at her master's tormentor, just a good familiar should. It was also, not coincidentally, when things _really_ began to go wrong.

Arf was more or less a flash of light as she rushed, full speed, at the witch. Her body shifted as she flew, turning from attractive young lady to monstrous killing machine, a roaring golden aura limning the red fur and sleek muscles. She intentionally looped over the Colossus, the wolf descending on Precia from above with, whatever she might have told Fate, lethal intent.

About five feet away from her target, she slammed into a web of violet light and was forced back as lightning ripped through her body.

Precia looked up at the singed wolf with a slight smile. "My, this is nostalgic. Haven't we done this dance once before?" Precia flicked her fingers, and the web of light snapped out like a snare, wrapping around Arf and igniting with purple-white lightning that shot through the trapped familiar. "As I recall, it went a lot like this."

 _Aaaaahh! No! Not again!_ Arf thought. Her body exploded with magical energy as she ripped through the net with main strength, dispelling the violent energy ripping through her body in a burst of gold. It fell away from her in a rain of sparks, and she released a triumphant snarl as she prepared to continue her assault.

She very nearly started before a bolt of purple light struck her in the center of her chest and hurled her backwards through the sky.

"Fate _still_ can't power a decent familiar, I see." Precia said dismissively.

 ** _Arf?!_** _What the Hell are you trying to pull?! Back off and wait for my support!_ Chrono snapped, beginning his flight towards Precia rather more frantically than he'd originally planned. Knowing Arf, though, he recognized that he'd better go faster because she _wasn't_ going to listen him.

Smoke curling off the enormous burn on her chest and struggling just to stay airborne, Arf fought to focus her thoughts through the haze of agony. _This is… this is wrong… I'm stronger than last time, so how is it going exactly the same as before?! No… she looks different too._ Arf realized. _Her skin's not so pale, the bags under her eyes are gone… she looks... healthy. Cured? If she wasn't at her full power last time, and she is now, this could be bad…_

" _Dammit!_ " Arf snarled, her canine form making the curse come out even harsher than normal. A circle flared to life around her, and balls of golden lightning joined it in short order. She was no longer holding back even slightly, fully aware that doing so was just going to get her killed.

The lightning flew through the sky… and struck another of the purple webs that had stopped Arf's own charge. Precia didn't _quite_ roll her eyes. Then she took a glance at something off to the side and smiled wickedly. "Hmmm… well, I see no reason I should have to do all the work myself…" Waving one hand, she sent the entire mass of energy, both her own web spell and Arf's trapped attack, directly at the pillar of ice on the edge of the battlefield.

"Oh, no you don't!" Chrono snapped, releasing a wave of azure light from Durandal that leapt at the ball of purple and gold… only to be intercepted by a silver bolt as Tsukuyomi reentered the fray at the worst possible moment.

 _No, no, no…_ Chrono thought frantically, trying to charge another spell before…

Precia's attack hit. The crystal cage, impossible to escape from the _inside_ , shattered under an external attack, the ice dissolving into blue sparks before it even hit the ground. Susanoo opened his eyes and smiled. "What do you know? I really _couldn't_ get out on my own." He said.

Chrono thought about this new development for a moment. _Well. Things are not going according to plan, I'd say._

He took an experimental stretch, and winced as his neck cracked. "Ow! You know, Captain, before you put people into freezing spells, you should see what they're like on the inside. Because I've gotta be honest, that was incredibly uncomfortable, and I'm all stiff now. Hey! Tsuku! How come you didn't give me a hand?"

"I was busy."

"Well… I would be angry, but I guess Miss Precia got me out, so I'll forgive you. Buuuut… _hey! Pressie!"_

"Call me that again and I will have your remains in a tube in my laboratory by the end of the day."

"Touchy, touchy. Not that I don't appreciate the save, but… what exactly do you think you're doing?!" He said, pointing at the remains of the mountain she'd leveled. "Be _careful!_ You're going to kill somebody if you fire that thing at full power!"

"That's the idea." Precia replied.

"Not if the 'somebody' is us." Tsukuyomi interjected. "When firing at close range targets, please restrict your fire to 50% output. That should be sufficient to strike a lethal blow and decrease the chances that you will destroy us all."

Precia shrugged. "Fair enough." She said, almost idly swatting aside another lightning blast from Arf. "Did you hear that, machine? Restrict your shots to minimum lethal yield."

**"Confirmed."**

"Geez… isn't that a bit ruthless?" Susanoo said, looking crestfallen. "Hey! Captain! You should maybe run. Look, if Precia's here, it means our master is getting impatient. I can't just let you go, but if you can get outside Tsuku's barrier and get back to your ship, I think I can declare the engagement won and justify cutting off pursuit. It's not much, but it's the best I can offer you."

 _... It's kind of strange that we agree with him, isn't it?_ Yuuno thought.

 _I know, but Arf is more or less nonverbal at this point. We need to pry her away from Precia before…_ He began. He didn't quite finish the thought before a silver blade slammed in Durandal, forcing him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry about this." Susanoo said. "But like I said, I can't just _let_ you go…"

Yuuno, likewise, turned to head for Arf, only to find the girl in the blue and green dress in his path, her staff held ready. "This is where it ends." She said simply.

_Chrono! I can't get to Precia, but I'm going to keep trying to bring down this barrier! Let Amy know we need to withdraw!_

_AH! I can't get a clear signal, and this dolt isn't making it easy!_ Chrono said, lightning running off his shields. _Until the barrier drops, I don't know if I **can** reach the _Asura!

Yuuno smiled wryly in spite of himself. _Well then, we're even, because I'm starting to wonder if I can break the barrier by myself._ Then silver light crashed against his own shields, pulling him back to a far more immediate problem.

 

In the thicket below, Fate looked up. _Look at me. I really am pathetic… I'm acting like a little girl again…_

Taking a deep breath to steady her shaking hands, Fate got to her feet. She could admit that she… she wasn't quite sure what to feel about Mother.

But Arf was suffering.

She wasn't completely sure what to feel about mother… but she knew very well what Arf meant to her. If it came down to a choice between her mother and her fami… no, her mother and her _sister_ , she knew very well which she would choose.

"Let's go, Bardiche. I'll need all the power you can give me." Fate said, rising to her feet.

" **Zanbar Form, get set. Drive Ignition.** " Bardiche said. Fate took to the skies.

* * *

 

"We ready to move yet?"

"The transfer is almost complete. We have to do this unaided, you know. This is very much off the books, so we can't risk leaving a trail in any Bureau equipment."

"Unaided? There are _five_ of us."

"Six!"

"Six, six. Sorry, kid. My point is, if the spell needs more power, we've _got_ more power."

"The spell has more than enough power. The problem is control. Both locations are in a state of dimensional flux. We have to be very careful that we don't try to teleport into the path of an attack spell or bounce the transmission off someone's barrier and end up scattering ourselves all over the target world."

"Yeah, well… do it faster."

"Calm _down._ We're going as fast as we can. It shouldn't be more than a minute or two now. They can hold out that long."

* * *

 

 _Man… hurry up, guys! I don't think I can hold out more than another minute or two…!_ Arf thought.

Suspended from thin air by violet chains, burned and broken, Arf growled in defiance nonetheless. She'd had to abandon her combat form and shift back to human shape due to simple exhaustion; not good, but with the fatigue had come a bit more ability to think through the rage and the realization that retreat was the way to go at this point. Unfortunately, she didn't have the power to _do_ it anymore.

 _Trying!_ Chrono said. "Durandal!"

 **"Diamond Edge."** The staff said, and glittering razors of ice materialized around Chrono, their edges pointed towards Susanoo.

"Oh, my… that's a nasty looking spell, Captain. I don't think it will work on me, though…" Susanoo said, conversationally. "My body's a bit tough for a physical blade."

"Grant strength to my sword, that before me those accounted my enemies might fall before me. To these hands, the power to vanquish those who threaten that which I have chosen to protect." Chrono incanted.

" **Spear of Priam.** " Durandal said, and the spears of ice began to exhibit an otherworldly blue glow. Mist rose from them, and the ambient temperature of the air dropped noticeably.

Susanoo got a small smile. " _That_ might work." He admitted, raising his axe, which took on a glow of its own as its charge turbine began to spin.

* * *

 

Not so far away, a jet of water that could have crushed plate steel like paper smashed harmlessly into a green barrier.

Just like the assorted energy blasts. And binds. And the sword, from when she'd tried a physical attack.

Tsukuyomi gave a small sigh. "Your defenses are… formidable." She admitted. Never before had the word 'formidable' sounded so very much like 'annoying'. "But you simply lack the offensive capabilities to defeat me on your own. All you can do is make this take far longer than it has any need to…"

Yuuno, who was already multitasking in maintaining communications with Chrono _and_ trying to get out of the barrier _and_ watching for an opening to get to Arf, chose not to respond right this second. Although he could agree, as he saw Precia raising her weapon again at the now-helpless familiar: this _was_ taking far too long.

Precia allowed herself a satisfied smirk as she leveled the staff. "This time, let's see if I can't get this right…"

A golden blur exploded between them, ripping the binds away from Arf and forcing Precia to withdraw behind her defenses and shield her eyes from the sudden light. When she was able to see clearly again, she found something she had to admit she truly hadn't been expecting to see.

"Leave. Her. _Alone_." Fate said, leveling a massive sword that seemed to be made of nothing but lightning.

Precia nodded. "I see you've upgraded your device. A Belkan cartridge system? I suppose it has its uses, but in the end it's just a crutch. You'd be better trying to develop some genuine talent instead of relying on magical steroids."

Fate narrowed her eyes. "I'm not here for your criticism. I'm taking Arf and we're leaving. If you try to stop us, I'll… I don't want to hurt you. But I will if you lay one more _finger_ on her."

Precia rolled her eyes. "Oh, my. You've developed a backbone. How cute. Go right ahead and make the attempt, if you think you can."

Fate fought down the butterflies in her stomach. As far back as she could remember, mother had been… not exactly a terrifying figure, although Fate realized that she always _should_ have been more afraid of mother than she had been. But mother was _strong_ , powerful and skilled. She also knew, however, that mother had no idea what she was capable of, not anymore. _I should be able to take her off-guard, at least once. I just need to make sure that's enough…_

The bolt of purple energy was painfully simple and straightforward… from any other mage, Fate would have considered it insultingly basic and simple to block as she swung the Zanbar blade to intercept.

In this case, however, the sheer force of the strike nearly took her arms off. She would hardly say she'd never seen a more powerful attack… she'd been on the receiving end of several and launched several more. But not from such a simple spell. It had been an almost generic buster, the most basic of basics, without any sort of enhancement or noticeable preparation, and yet it was still powerful enough that it would have cost Fate at least one cartridge. And even as Fate watched, the energy from the dispersed attack gathered together into tiny pinpricks of light that hurled themselves at her. She made the effort to dodge, but rather than actually strike her, the bolts _exploded_ in a wave of electricity that left absolutely no prayer of dodging. A hastily constructed shield managed to blunt the strike, but Fate still felt her nerve endings scream as the energy ran through her body, leaving her feeling shaky and more than a bit singed. A trap hidden within an attack, all cast within seconds of another spell without the slightest incantation or even real pause…

Mother, it seemed, really _had_ earned her reputation.

 _This is bad… as odd as it sounds, I wish she were trying harder._ Fate thought. She was not on mother's level, not yet… she knew she'd only get one real shot at a victory here, and it wouldn't happen unless mother was off guard. If she could goad Precia into a more complex spell, something that would hold all of her attention, even if it was just for a few seconds…

And of course, as if to prove to Fate that the world enjoyed toying with her, mother then did the absolute worst thing possible. Rather than cast a spell from her own powers, she pointed in Fate's direction, and the Colossus said, " **Secondary weapons systems, locked on.** " Small… well, small by comparison… cannons emerged from hidden compartments on the main shell of the machine.

And then they pointed right at Fate.

 _Uh-oh._ Fate thought. She supposed that smaller defensive emplacements made sense, tactically speaking, but they were _extremely_ annoying for her purposes. And of course, they got even _more_ annoying when they opened fire on her. The bolts were similar in _nature_ to a shot from Nanoha's Axel Shooter (which was good because Fate had a lot of experience dodging that), but with a few key differences; they were slower, and didn't move to follow her, which was good. They were also, however, larger Nanoha's typical shots… and in fact, larger than Nanoha herself… and Fate had the uncomfortable feeling they would kill her if they connected. That was bad. She flew out of the path of the first salvo, planning to wheel back around and make some sort of counter-attack, only to collide painfully with something solid and glowing purple in the air behind her.

 _A shield… she's trying to box me in._ Fate reasoned, watching as the purple glow began to expand, cutting down her potential range of evasive maneuvers. She could still dodge such slow shots, without a wide sky, so she wouldn't be caught so easily… unless the defense guns shifted to target Arf, who was barely still able to float. As they just had.

 _No, no, no!_ Fate thought frantically, diving between the machine and her familiar, swinging the Zanbar blade as she did. The expected bolt of white light slammed into the golden energy sword, and…

Well, the Zanbar held quite well. Fate herself had more trouble.

The power of the attack pushed her backwards, carrying both her and Arf until they slammed painfully into the shield Precia had raised to contain Fate earlier. It was hard to say who had it worse off… Fate was being crushed against something soft, at least, but she was also the one holding the sword that was keeping the ball of white death from vaporizing them. She pressed back as hard as she could with no visible effect; spurred on by Arf's groans as her wounds were pushed against, she began gathering energy in her blade. Once the sword was glowing so brightly she could barely look at it, she _swung_ with every last bit of power she could muster.

The white energy bolt dispersed, cut in half, and the wave of force released by Fate's sword continued onward toward Precia. The woman, without any noticeable concern, swatted the attack away with a glowing hand. "Really. I suppose you've improved slightly, but the doll can't defeat the dollmaker. You of all people should… know…" Precia began, but her voice trailed off as she noticed something about the hand she'd used to deflect Fate's attack.

It was cut.

Not a large cut. Most people wouldn't have even bothered to bandage it, just run it under cold water for a minute or so. But a few drops of blood were running down her pale palm.

 _I have been cut_.

_By Fate._

_By that horrible little doll, that mockery of a human being! How **dare** she?! How **dare** that repulsive little **thing** attack me?! I **gave** her the parody of life she has, and she has the raw unmitigated gall to raise her hand to me, to **wound** me?! She should be on her **hands and knees** thanking me for giving her the wasted time she's already had, and yet she has the temerity to actually threaten me?! _Precia thought. She was not a terribly stable woman under any circumstances, and this was the last straw. Before, it had been nothing but a game, really… it hadn't been a serious conflict, hadn't been _real._ She'd never once considered the possibility that Fate could actually _hurt_ her. She would crush the little brat for being in her way, and that would be the end of it. But now, to be harmed by a person she had long ago written off as being less than human… to be _insulted_ like this…

Precia raised her staff, and the sky went pitch black in a matter of seconds. The air hummed with power, arcs of violet lightning began to gather together into a concentrated mass of magic that made Fate's teeth shake. If that hit her and Arf, it went without saying they were both dead. All of Precia's considerable will and power were bent on this one task, with a mad, single-minded, terrifying fury.

Had Fate been fighting anyone else, she probably would have smiled slightly at the knowledge she was about to win.

"Sprite…" Fate said, swinging her blade in a ring around her, the Michildan circle appearing with the arc of the blade. "… _Zanbar!_ "

The wave of lightning shot out of the circle, gold lightning melding with the field of violet and _absorbing_ it, as Fate's most powerful technique for dispelling blew away Precia's charging attack, the sudden loss of so much energy leaving the woman disoriented, confused… and extremely vulnerable.

As Fate charged the momentarily defenseless woman, Precia Testarossa began to consider, just for a second, that maybe this was her fault. No, that's an exaggeration… she didn't really _consider_ it, at least not consciously. But deep down, almost subconsciously, she recognized that should have probably been a _little_ nicer to Fate. Or really, even just paid a bit more attention to her combat style and mage training.

Precia managed to raise a single hand into the path of the gigantic energy blade, bringing up a shield with it. But the violet barrier was only partially formed, and the sword broke nearly completely through before stopping. Precia could _feel_ the energy from the weapon, even through her defenses. She fought back with all she could muster, absolutely refusing to be outmatched by such a simplistic trick, but her hastily-formed shield continued to crumble. _No… no!_ She thought desperately, most of her capacity for higher thought gone by this point, replaced by a combination of rage and fear at the thought she might be brought low by such a basic trick as a simple dispel…

Fate continued to pour her power into the blade. Even as obviously unprepared as she had been, mother's shields were incredibly strong. If Precia were allowed to regain her composure and prepare herself, there was no way Fate would be able to stop her alone. She was nearly through… she just had to keep pushing…

Fate's world went briefly white, then red. She felt an intense pressure on her back, followed by a sensation of falling. No… not the sensation. She _was_ falling, she could see her cape fluttering down with her, no longer attached and with a hole burned through it.

 _What… what…_ Fate managed to think. Something had hit her in the back when she was focused on Precia? That had to have been it.

She realized that, logically speaking, she shouldn't have been able to turn in time to see it… that she should have been falling far too quickly. But she still caught a glimpse of Yuuno, his eyes wide with horror… and Tsukuyomi, her staff leveled in Fate's direction.

 _Ah._ Fate thought, her somewhat muddled thought processes accepting this. _Poor Yuuno._ It was really too bad for him… his opponent had turned and fired on Fate, and he hadn't seen it coming in time to stop her. He'd feel bad about this, and it wasn't really his fault… Fate knew she should have been watching her own back. She'd apologize to Yuuno later for making him worry.

Something warm and soft wrapped around her, stopping her descent. _Oh… Arf. That's not good, Arf is hurt. She shouldn't be moving._ Fate thought. "A…" she said.

Arf was trying to run. That was probably smart, but Fate didn't think she was going to make it… mother was pointing at them, and her hand was glowing and her eyes did not look at _all_ sane. _I should warn Arf…_ Fate thought, but it was just so hard to keep her eyes open…

Then the world turned brilliant electric violet.

Then the world turned black.

* * *

 

Nanoha extended one hand, finally ready to try out the new technique she'd only just thought up.

The rock she was pointing her open palm at began to glow as her magic enfolded it, then leapt from the ground at bullet-speed in Amaterasu's direction. It sailed up from the ground like a guided missile, certain to do serious damage to anything it struck.

It was unfortunate for Nanoha, then, that it missed.

Badly.

Amaterasu didn't even really have to dodge; it just sort of went past her.

The older woman continued her charge, although her face shifted to an expression of mixed amusement and pity.

Nanoha very nearly growled in annoyance. The basic idea was that she wanted to wrap a solid object in her magic, using it to move that object at great speed and use it as a weapon that couldn't simply be dispelled. After all, even if the magical field vanished, it was still a big rock with a lot of inertia. And the principle was sound; a lot of her magic was just applications of force. It wasn't much different than juggling a can for shooting practice, just _lifting_ instead of _hitting._ Unfortunately, it was proving a tad touchier than she'd expected. Just the perils of testing out a new spell in combat, she supposed.

 _And to make things worse_ , Nanoha thought as the spear slashed at her legs, not cutting _her_ but dealing a grievous blow to the bottom two inches of her poor skirt, _it slowed me down enough for her to catch up! Again!_ A half dozen small cuts were stinging on various parts of her body, a testament to the fact that she was slowly but surely getting her butt kicked. It was getting old… Amaterasu couldn't even use any spells. She was just good at stabbing. Even one usable attack magic could turn the tables, but the closest thing she'd found was too inaccurate to… be…

Of course. Did it really _need_ to be accurate?

"Sorry Vita, but I'm stealing your move!" Nanoha said, willing a ball of pink light into her hand. Without any further preamble, rather than throwing it, she _smashed_ Raising Heart into it as hard as she could.

The resulting explosion of light and sound, useless as an attack but great as a distraction, was not _quite_ as good as Vita's 'Iron Howl'. But Nanoha liked to think that was just because she hadn't practiced it as much.

It wouldn't work for long… Nanoha seriously doubted she'd genuinely caught Amaterasu off-guard… but even closing your eyes and plugging your ears only helped so much against this sort of spell, so it would buy her a few seconds, at least. Nanoha dove for the ground, falling to her knees and slamming her open palm against the dirt. Her power flared, magic flowing out of her in intense waves, the ground beginning to crumble beneath her as her magic gathered around anything and everything hard enough to do damage buried beneath the soil.

There was an old saying: _Even the worst shot in the world will hit something if he fires enough bullets._

"Stardust…" Nanoha said, raising her staff above her head, the light that was permeating the cracked earth intensifying. "… _Fall!_ "

When Amaterasu managed to clear the lights from her eyes and turn her gaze toward the ground… she found the ground a lot closer than it had used to be.

"Oh, my." Amaterasu said mildly. She began weaving through the hail, using the larger rocks as stepping stones and smashing the smaller ones out of her way. _Not a bad technique, certainly inventive, but not very efficient. If it were a little faster, or she could direct the rocks better, then maybe it would be a threat. But as things stand, it's just unnecessary landscaping._

It was then the she noticed the little girl's staff had changed; the golden section near the top had extended to make the device look almost like a spear of her own, and four energy wings had sprouted from the shaft. "Excellion Buster!" The girl shouted, her device loading three more of those cartridges.

Amaterasu frowned. _How many of those things does she have, anyway? Oh well, even if this attack is stronger, Exorcism form can cut it if it's just pure magic, so there's…_ Halfway through that thought, she noticed something that made her much, much more worried.

Nanoha wasn't aiming at her.

Amaterasu thought of some of the massive boulders that had hurled past her, and considered vaguely that none of them had come _down_ yet. She turned her head to see the rocks, still floating in the sky above the battlefield, glowing with the girl's magic. _She's… she couldn't… she **wouldn't…**_ If a high level attack magic hit one of the larger ones and exploded, and that created a chain reaction with the magic that was already wrapped around the boulders, and _all_ of those rocks exploded… while they were above both of them…

"Young lady, are you completely insane?" she asked. Considering the situation, her tone was surprisingly civil.

By way of reply, Nanoha said, "Break Shoot!"

Boom.

* * *

 

Chrono saw the lightning strike. He saw Fate and Arf falling. _No! I need to get past this guy and get there before…_

Susanoo sighed, lowered his weapon, and moved out of the way. "Hurry up."

Chrono _almost_ protested, but he was on a clock anyway and he didn't have time to worry. Even if the other mage attacked him, he'd still be closer to Fate than he'd been before, so he took the offer and flew to intercept Fate's fall as quickly as he could. It was going to be close, but she'd been fairly high up, so he could still make it in time to catch… one of them.

Fate fell into his arms, but when he tried to catch Arf at the same time, he only managed to get a tenuous grip on one of her arms. His choices rapidly became 'Drop the familiar' or 'drop the sister' as he found himself balancing Fate on one arm. _Not good, not good…_ He thought frantically, trying not to lose his grip on either girl while losing his grip on _both._

Arf slipped from his fingers… and landed softly on a green circle not more than a meter below her. Yuuno flew in and slung her over his shoulder as best he could.

Chrono blinked. "How did you get away from her?"

Yuuno held a glowing green hand out behind himself, and a hail of silver bolts bounced harmlessly off it. "I didn't. But it's not like either of us could actually hurt each other…" Yuuno said.

Chrono shifted the unconscious girl so he was holding her with both arms. _She's ice cold… I need to get her back to the_ Asura _ASAP._ "Fair enough. I'm thinking a tactical retreat might be in order."

"You're the boss." Yuuno agreed, and the two of them took flight as fast as they could, their concern for the velocity hurting the girls overshadowed by the concern that they had a painfully large distance to travel, and a barrier still in the way when they got there.

Tsukuyomi turned to Precia. "You have a lock?"

Precia, her composure not yet quite regained, merely nodded.

Susanoo shook his head. "Don't bother. They're retreating, so we should just let them go and get back to…"

"Fire when ready." Tsukuyomi said, cutting him off in mid-protest. "They're gathered together, so leaving no survivors should be simple."

As if to signal Precia's agreement, that white star appeared in front of the Colossus's 'eye' once again.

 _Dammit…_ Chrono thought, attempting to come up with some counter and drawing a painful blank. He seriously doubted Precia was the sort of person who would miss twice… she'd probably already prepared a firing solution that would catch them in the blast without catching her, or she'd fire a wider-angle beam they couldn't dodge easily… but if they stayed close enough to make that weapon useless, they'd most likely still be taken down trying to defend Fate and Arf. _Is there really no way out of this?! Think, Chrono, think!_

Yuuno flew towards the ground and set down Arf. Then he turned to face down the growing white light.

"What are you doing?!" Chrono said, stopping himself. "We can't just..."

"We're not going to outrun this. There aren't too many other options." Yuuno said somberly. "If I can stop this one attack, it should take another minute or so to recharge. Then we can…" Yuuno said, trailing off as if he realized how ludicrous the initial claim was. "They never reset the weapon to full power. Maybe I can take one shot."

"But…"

" _I am unbreakable._ " Yuuno intoned, running his hands through a complicated pattern as he did so. " _Before me, let the territory of my soul be defined, and let all those who trespass within it be repelled. Let this place be moved beyond time and space, untouchable and unassailable. Absolute Defense, Materialize."_ A shield, the largest Chrono had ever seen, glowing like a green sun, burst into brilliant existence in front of him. It was certainly very impressive, but… but…

Chrono cast a glance at what was left of the mountain that monstrosity had struck before.

"Dammit!" He growled, placing Fate on the ground next to Arf and raising his staff to project a defensive field around her, himself and Arf. Once that was complete, he did what little he could to strengthen Yuuno's shield… he wasn't much for enhancement magic, but it couldn't _hurt._ The fact of the matter was, they _weren't_ going to make it by running away. If their only chance was to try holding back enough magic to crack open a moon, well, they might as well give it a shot. At least the crater would make an impressive grave.

"Are they insane?" Susanoo wondered. "They can't be trying to block it!"

"Pointless." Tsukuyomi agreed.

Precia didn't say anything.

In a burst of rainbow, the beam flew.

As before, the bolt of pure white ripped across the landscape until it encountered solid resistance. It struck the wall of green light, and was briefly repelled.

Very briefly.

Once the light had faded and the wind died down, Susanoo sighed, staring mournfully at where the opposition had used to be. "Not how I would have chosen to end this."

Tsukuyomi patted him on the shoulder. "I know. I would have preferred they simply leave us to our own devices. But they refused, and we could not allow them to continue interfering…"

"Look, even beyond the fact they deserved better… I mean, half of them weren't even conscious. They were retreating. I understand that this was… _practical_ … but it still leaves a bad taste in… my…" His voice trailed off as he stared at the smoking crater, the exposed bedrock still glowing red from the blast.

Except for the place where it was glowing green.

Susanoo grinned. " _Impossible!_ "

Tsukuyomi blinked. "Unexpected."

Precia narrowed her eyes. " _Annoying._ "

The ground was shattered, burning, and devastated from the beam's impact, but only up to a point. At this point, the path of destruction formed a **'Y'** , with two smaller trails going off to the sides, and a section of pristine ground untouched behind a flickering, crumbling wreck of a barrier. And behind this barrier, Yuuno stood on shaky legs, his one outstretched hand trembling and sweat running down his face in buckets.

"But that cannon is made for…" Susanoo said, his smile only getting bigger. "And he stopped it! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, kids these days are full of surprises!"

Chrono, who was equally shocked to find that he was alive, stared wide-eyed at Yuuno. "How did you manage that one?" He asked in some combination of confusion and awe.

Yuuno smiled. "I pulled a Chrono," He said, a line of blood running out of his ear and nose. Then he passed out.

"… … …" Chrono said.

The machine's eye began to glow again. Precia said, "You were right about firing at 50%. It lets the weapon recharge much more quickly."

Susanoo turned to Precia in disbelief. "You _cannot_ be serious."

"Deadly serious, if you'll pardon the expression."

"It was bad enough before, but they can't even run away anymore! If you think I'm just going to sit back and allow this, then…"

Tsukuyomi closed her eyes. "Do it, Precia."

"But…! Tsuku, come on! You were never exactly cuddly, but executing the wounded?! That's harsh even by your standards!"

She opened her eyes, and Susanoo saw something that he hadn't seen in centuries. Tsuku looked _sad_. "I take no particular satisfaction in this. I… the more I get to know these children..." She stopped and took a deep breath. "I don't _want_ to do this. But you know as well as I that we absolutely cannot fail. Not again."

"Of course not, but we've already won! There's no need for it to go any further, we could…"

"We tried to avoid Bureau attention by avoiding casualties, they instead responded by sending an elite team. So we try the opposite approach. The loss of such an elite team should make the Bureau pull back, reassess the situation, and at least buy us some time."

"I still don't like this. It doesn't feel right." He said.

Tsukuyomi patted him on the shoulder. "If it helps, remember that Miss Precia and I made the call. You didn't make the call, you were just out-voted."

He reached his hand up to squeeze hers. "Thanks for trying, but that isn't much comfort." He said sadly. "… sorry, Fate. It was fun while it lasted."

Precia, in contrast to the somber expressions shared by the two siblings, was wearing a visible smile. Granted, it wasn't a terribly happy smile, and it was even less sane. Fate, that irritating familiar, and two of the little brats who'd ruined her plans, all at once? _This,_ she admitted to herself, _Was more fulfilling than I would have thought._

Chrono, near the place she was targeting, stood up.

There wasn't really anything else to do. Yuuno, Arf, and Fate were incapacitated. He couldn't possibly carry all three of them to safety… no, if he was being honest, he most likely couldn't escape even if he was the sort of person who would abandon them to flee on his own, which he was not. _This is it. We're dead._ He thought dully. _So I might as well go out on my feet._

It made sense to him, anyway.

* * *

 

Nanoha dug her way out of the rubble and came painfully to her feet. _I… may have overdone it a little bit…_ she admitted, looking around at the devastation. The landscape was riddled with craters of various sizes, and there were chunks of rock imbedded in most of them. The containment barrier was still up, although from the way it was flickering it had clearly seen better days and Nanoha expected she could probably just fly right through it.

Well. That had been quite a blast, then.

In her defense, she'd predicted the explosion would be roughly a quarter the size it had actually turned out to be… she was good at math, yes, but there's only so much you do in your head in the space of thirty seconds. She must have forgotten to carry a number somewhere. In any event, she'd gotten what she really wanted… a massive hail of stones wrapped in her magical energy. It had just been more massive than she'd planned.

The idea had been that her magic wrapped around the shrapnel would act to blunt the force, making the shards of rock no more lethal than the magical bolts she usually used. And given that Nanoha herself was still alive, she supposed that it had worked out to that, since even through the shields she'd raised, there had been rather more impact than she would have preferred. Amaterasu had been far closer to the source of the blast, and hadn't been in any position to raise a shield spell as quickly as Nanoha had been, so that was somewhat reassuring. Nanoha hadn't really wanted to _hurt_ her, much less _kill_ her. She was a bit… odd… but she didn't seem like a _bad_ person.

 _And I should find her. She's probably buried somewhere around…_ Nanoha thought to herself.

And then a green flash lit up the horizon, back where the battle had first begun over the ocean.

"… oh, no." Nanoha said, her stomach sinking. _She used my own attack as her distraction, released the Drive unit in the middle of all that chaos._ Nanoha thought in annoyance. She couldn't exactly be blamed… how could she have possibly spotted a tiny green dot in the middle of that maelstrom? But she didn't like losing, and she especially didn't like being deceived, so her temper was flaring despite her best efforts. _Well, that's two for them, whatever they want them for. I wonder if… no, Yuuno will know what to do about the Gate. I should focus on Amaterasu. I doubt she's still in any condition to put up a fight, but I should still be…_

For the second time, Nanoha found her thoughts interrupted. But this time, they were interrupted by an intense pain; a red-hot spike in the center of her back that sapped the strength from her limbs. Eyes wide in shock, she managed to turn her head partially to find Amaterasu behind her, and though she could only see the shaft, it wasn't hard to determine that the tip of Kagutsuchi was buried in her own back.

Amaterasu's face and body were smeared with blood, the bright red just barely visible against the darker hue of her barrier jacket. The outer layer of said barrier jacket, the coat, was gone; and the formfitting suit underneath it had been more or less shredded… but her injuries were impossibly superficial for what she had been through.

"No… no way…" Nanoha managed to gasp.

"That was a rather mad stunt." Amaterasu said, and her eyes were colder by far than Nanoha had seen them at any point in the battle. She plucked the spear from Nanoha's back and slashed it in a single smooth motion, sending the girl sprawling. "Kagutsuchi can't raise shields in Exorcism Form, so I had to detonate my barrier jacket to create a makeshift defense until I could switch forms. The costs were… significant." She said, wiping blood from her eyes and adjusting the remains of her barrier jacket so they wouldn't impede her motion. "My armor will take hours to repair, and almost a third of my magical energy was burned up. But I survived... and I couldn't have asked for a better distraction. With all that devastation, letting the drive unit execute and setting up an ambush weren't too difficult. But then, you've already noticed that."

Nanoha fought back the pain and tried to climb to her feet, but found her body wasn't listening to her mind. Raising Heart was _so close,_ but she simply couldn't cross those few inches.

"I probably nicked a nerve cluster. Although I suppose it could be simple blood loss, at this point." Amaterasu observed. "I don't know, I'm not a doctor. All I can tell you for sure is that I'm keeping the promise I made to you before.

"It will all be over soon." She said solemnly, and raised her weapon high above her head.

* * *

 

Four figures floated in the frozen skies of Dsyval, gazing at the barrier surrounding the battlefield.

"The transfer went well?" One of them asked.

"Yes. She should be to Nanoha in the next few seconds."

"Good. Now, we're already late, so let's get started ourselves. I'll pierce the barrier and take care of that ludicrous machine, but I'll need you all to handle the rest. The wounded are our first priority, so please keep them safe until we can get through to _Asura_. You all know your assignments?" When no questions were posed, she nodded. "Good. Admiral Lindy went to a lot of trouble and broke at least one law to bring us in on this, so let's repay her by making sure she still has all her children at the end of the day. Take your positions, I'm starting the counterattack!"

With that, the winged figure raised one hand and said, "Darkness of the night sky, gather to my hands. Spread your black wings and drown out the light, and let those who challenge my will be drawn into the endless nightmare beyond time and space.

" _Diabolic Emission!"_


	15. Clouds in the Night Sky

Amy looked at the readings on the console in front of her. More specifically, the readings which stated that both battlefields were now host to some very familiar individuals. Not familiar because she _knew_ them all that well, familiar because, six months ago, she'd spent a great deal of time and effort trying to hunt most of them down. Her surprise was compounded by the fact that, as far she far as Amy knew, they were not cleared to even be away from HQ. Not even _real_ HQ; no, they were supposed to be restricted to the ground forces HQ on Midchilda proper, where there was no chance of them blowing up a space station and they could potentially be bombed from orbit if they started acting up. They should have had a small army watching them at all times to make sure that they _weren't here_ , and yet...

Amy's mouth opened. Then it closed. Then it opened again. At no point in this process did any words come out of it.

Lindy looked over her shoulder and nodded in satisfaction. "Oh, my. How unexpected. It seems that certain of our allies have arrived, totally of their own volition. How nice." Lindy said. Her tone was exactly the same as one might use to say something like 'Oh, what a shocking surprise... water is wet'.

"… Admiral?" Amy said.

"Yes?" Lindy asked.

"How, exactly, did you pull _this_ off?"

Admiral Lindy smiled the most innocent smile imaginable. "Pull what off?"

"... I miss Chrono." Amy muttered.

"Miss who?" Lindy said, mischief glittering in her eyes.

"Oh, now you're just being mean for the sake of being mean." Amy complained.

* * *

 

The enormous ball of darkness struck the barrier, which resisted its encroachment. For about two seconds.

While it lost a little bit of its power ripping through the alteration in space time, it wasn't enough to really be noticeable. Continuing implacably, the sphere continued towards its _real_ target, the Colossus gathering energy to finish off the wounded Bureau force.

Precia got out of the way in time. The Colossus did not.

The resulting shockwaves scattered everyone in the skies, hurling the three airborne mages away from each other. Susanoo was the first to right himself, and looked at the entirely new explosion with a certain level of confusion. "Wow, we are just beating the tar out of this planet, aren't we? Now who exactly threw…" he began. He nearly finished the sentence when the sound of something slicing through the air caught his ear, and he snapped his weapon up to intercept a rapidly descending sword.

The pink-haired woman on the other end of the sword nodded once. "Good reflexes."

"Who the Hells are…"

"I apologize for the ambush. But you seem fairly strong, and I'm pressed for time." Signum said. " _Shiden Issen!_ "

 **"Explosion!** " The sword said, loading a cartridge and bursting into flames. Signum drew it back for a second strike, the fire along the blade violently exploding when it came into contact with Raijin and sending Susanoo plummeting to the ground. Signum, without missing a beat, pointed her weapon at Precia in a very clear-yet-nonverbal 'you're next'.

Precia raised an eyebrow. "You're a guardian of the Book of Darkness, aren't you? I read the reports from the _Vishnu_ saying the Bureau had managed to tame you, but I didn't quite believe it. What happened, did somebody finally find a use for that ridiculous thing and you just came along for the ride?"

"A knight follows her master." Signum said.

"That's not as much of an explanation as you seem to think."

"Perhaps. But it's more than you deserve, and all you'll get from me." Signum said, dropping into a defensive stance, her blade at the ready.

Precia smirked slightly. "Shouldn't a 'knight' mind her surroundings a bit more?"

Signum's eyes widened as something disturbed the air behind her. She raised Laevatein in time to intercept a blow aimed for the side of her neck, and her guard was struck so hard she felt her teeth rattle.

The boy, who she could only assume was faster than he looked given how quickly he'd managed to get out of his fall and swoop behind her, smiled. His white trench-coat had been mostly burned off, leaving only the short-sleeved armor underneath it, but beyond some impressive new charring and the fact he was now receiving more air to his arms he didn't look particularly disturbed. "I apologize for the ambush, but you seem fairly strong." He said, his irreverent tone lending her own words a mocking quality.

Signum's eyes narrowed. "You're more talented than I gave you credit for. I can see why Testarossa has been having trouble with you." She said.

"Is that a problem?"

"Quite the contrary. If you can challenge her, then it's possible," Signum said, magic flaring to life around her, "That you could provide a momentary distraction to me."

"Ha! You know, I was in sort of a bad mood, but I think you're _just_ what I need to cheer up."

* * *

 

Tsukuyomi moved to aid her brother, only to find a rapidly incoming fist approaching the side of her head. She caught the strike on her staff, and it flashed with silver light, hurling her backwards. She caught herself quickly, only to find a large, dark-skinned familiar standing firmly between her and where she was trying to go.

"The Bureau insects are coming out of the woodwork and beginning to swarm…" Tsukuyomi said, just the slightest hint of impatience in her tone. "I assume I cannot convince you to leave the area?"

"Our mistress has ordered us to stop you. Surrender and you will not be harmed." He replied. Apparently, he felt that was all the discussion the situation required, and Tsuku tended to agree.

She nodded once, raised her staff, and fired.

The silver-blue light met a silver-white barrier and broke like water on the rocks, and the familiar burst through the shield he himself had raised to launch a surprisingly strong kick at her face. She caught the blow before it landed, but was rather annoyed to discover that she was being forced back, despite her own not-inconsiderable physical strength… familiars _were_ aggravating. Still, she had enough energy in reserve for one more battle, and despite their physical prowess, the average familiar was easier to deal with than a true mage.

More importantly, the fact that his leg was pressed against her device meant that it wasn't hard to point her staff directly at him while still holding him back.

 **"Howling Moon."** Suijin said, in response to her silent command. Zafira, recognizing he was in a very bad spot, raised his free leg and kicked off the girl's weapon, sending himself straight upwards and knocking her off-balance. Her point-blank attack went wild, but still came a bit closer to him than he would have preferred simply by virtue of beginning its existence within six inches of his face.

He raised a glowing fist and punched the air, sending his own magical strike at her. He wasn't much for attack magic, preferring barriers and binds for his spell repertoire and simple physical assaults when on the offense, but perhaps he could take her by surprise. Still, he wasn't overly shocked when even a crudely formed shield from the girl stopped his attack cold.

She turned her gaze upwards, towards him. He dropped into a combat stance, both hands held in front of him. She, in turn, raised her weapon again. They stayed that way for a moment, each looking for any trace of weakness, and seeing nothing worth mentioning.

The next clash came a few seconds later.

* * *

 

Chrono, who had been fully prepared to die, fell to his knees in a combination of shock and relief. A soft hand touched his shoulder, and he turned to see Shamal smiling warmly at him.

"Hello, Chrono." She said.

"… hello." He said in reply, not really sure what else was appropriate. "So… what are you…?"

"Admiral Lindy had us waiting in reserve in case things went south. Apparently she needed reinforcements she could trust implicitly?"

 _Okay, yeah, that makes sense. With everything going on, makes sense mom would want to have a backup plan that she could be absolutely sure wasn't corrupt. Whatever conspiracy we might have run into, the odds of **them** being part of it are precisely zero. In the future, maybe I should believe her when she says she 'has some surprises planned'? _Chrono thought. What he said out loud was, "Could you tell her not to cut it so close next time?"

Shamal giggled slightly and brought her hands together. "All this energy is disturbing transmissions, so it will take a little bit of time to get everyone out of here. In the meantime, I'm going to begin triage. Are you injured?

Chrono nodded. "Yeah, but it's mostly bruises and burns, a few minor lacerations. You can save me for last."

Shamal smiled. Klarer Wind leapt from her fingers, the gems tracing a triangle around the wounded, including Chrono. Instantly, the area within the traced shape began to glow, forming a pyramid of light around the fallen mages. Chrono felt the pain from his wounds begin to lessen within seconds. "As you can see, taking turns will not be necessary. You should be fine shortly. Yuuno needs a few days of rest more than any treatment, and Fate and Arf will need more intensive care than I can provide in the field, but I can keep them all stable for now."

"Thank you again. Now, if you'll…" He stopped in mid-sentence, turning to face Shamal with his eyes narrowed. "Wait… as much as I appreciate the assistance, aren't you all still on probation? Are you even allowed to _be_ here?"

Shamal very carefully did not look him in the eyes. "I-I'm sure I don't know what you mean by that. We just happened to be passing through. Oh look, Fate is hurt! I'd better heal her!"

"You're already doing that."

"Why, so I am! Silly me, I must have just…"

"And if you're just 'passing through', then why did you specifically say that Admiral Lindy called you in?"

"I... I didn't."

"Yes. You did. It wasn't thirty seconds ago." Chrono said flatly.

"Um... I... well... we... um..." Shamal panicked.

"No... wait, I remember now! You're not on _probabation_ , your trial isn't even over yet! You're not allowed to leave Midchilda, and I _know_ that no officer is allowed to give you active field assignments yet! You're out on _bail_!"

"Um… technically speaking, most laws will forgive actions like this in the case of a life-threatening emergency. So… technically speaking… if we just _happened_ to receive a message indicating Bureau personnel were in immediate danger, then… technically speaking…it would not actually be a violation of our terms of parole to offer them assistance if we were the first people the learn about the situation." Shamal said nervously.

Chrono sighed. "And I take it that my mother 'just happened' to 'vaguely suggest' that you should 'possibly' be in a position to observe 'totally random' channels for a transmission that she sent to 'nobody in particular'?"

"… I'm sure I don't know." Shamal said, but it would have been a pretty pathetic lie even if she hadn't instantly grown flushed from embarrassment.

"So technically speaking, none of us have committed any crimes, but _realistically_ speaking all of you could be sent to prison and my mother court-martialed."

Shamal continued to very carefully look anywhere but at Chrono. "No! No, of course… maybe." She admitted. "…really, our sentence is almost certainly just going to be an extended term of service in the Bureau military, isn't it? So by coming out here and helping we're really just... being proactive. They wouldn't get mad at us for that, surely?"

Chrono groaned. "Just… just get my bleeding stopped so I can get back out there." He grumbled. _Isn't the child supposed to give the mother grey hairs? Why is it always the other way around for me?_

* * *

 

Precia turned her eyes upward, to stare at the winged girl in the black and white barrier jacket. She had blonde hair and blue eyes (both seemed just a tad _off_ to Precia, so she assumed them to be the result of some spell) and carried both a fairly unassuming staff… and a book that any mage worth the name would recognize instantly. "Ah. I don't recognize you, but that artifact you're carrying speaks for itself. How odd to find the Master of the Book of Darkness working with the Bureau. Unless you're merely here to devour the linker cores of everyone present? You could probably get quite a lot of pages, but I should warn you that filling that book has never turned out well for anyone who's tried it." she said.

Hayate narrowed her eyes. "My _name_ is Hayate Yagami, though if you must use a title, I prefer 'Lord of the Night Sky'. And if we're talking about things that are odd, don't your official files state that you are _deceased_ , Ms. Testarossa?"

Precia shrugged. "Actually, the last time I read it, it said 'Vanished: Status Unknown'. But you know how quickly rumors spread... fall into _one_ dimensional rift and everyone assumes you're dead. Don't worry, too much about it, since I'm planning to prevent you from making the same mistake by giving you a very personal demonstration of what 'dead' looks like."

Hayate smiled. "Actually, I'll be taking you alive. But thank you for the offer."

Precia smiled slightly in return. "Clever." She said. She then snapped her fingers and, to Hayate's great dismay, the machine in the crater below her began to stir. "But then, since you stopped to tell me I was under arrest _before_ making sure you'd actually broken my new toy, perhaps not _too_ clever."

Hayate's stomach briefly fluttered as she realized she might be in trouble, but an answering burst of boundless confidence filled her entire being. _Don't worry; I'm with you, Meister. This is our first real battle since I was born, so I'll make extra special sure not to let you down!_ The irrepressibly happy voice of Reinforce Zwei, the 'intelligent' part of her intelligent device, sounded through her head. _Now let's win, win, win!_

Hayate extended one hand to her side, and half-a-dozen brilliant white Belkan runes blazed in the air around her. _I never considered any other possibility._

* * *

 

Nanoha was, admittedly, a little fuzzy. But she was pretty sure that the sound of a halberd blade cutting her head off shouldn't have made a big explosion. It _certainly_ shouldn't have made reality quake as the already-flickering containment barrier was ripped to shreds. It definitely should not have made a 'clang', as if two metallic objects were being slammed together with great force.

As she watched Amaterasu retreat, it dawned on her that she was still alive. So all of that _wasn't_ her head getting cut off then. That was good.

… Wait, so what _had_ it been, then?

Amaterasu slid to a halt, kicking up a cloud of dust. She looked at the new arrival that had smashed aside her attack and sighed in annoyance. "It's never simple, is it… ah, what I wouldn't give for a hundred or so warships..."

The newly arrived girl ignored her, instead turning to Nanoha. "Geez, Takamachi. Here I am, missing the _real_ fight, all because you needed somebody to come rescue you? You owe me one for this!" She said, her tone a friendly sort of angry. She set down between the other two mages, the large hammer she'd used to intercept Amaterasu's attack held back over her shoulder and an insolent smirk on her face.

Amaterasu smiled dryly. "What a charming young lady."

Vita just kept smirking in return. "Lady, you can't be much to write home about if your sense for magic is so bad you think _I'm_ a 'young lady'."

"Ooooooh, so you're older than you look. Good, then I don't have to worry about my armor."

"What about your armor?" Vita said, seemingly confused by this turn of events.

"Well, look how torn up it is! I don't mind fighting without much protection, but let's face it, I'm going to be having a wardrobe malfunction every thirty seconds." Amaterasu said frankly. "Just because I have no morals doesn't mean I have no standards, you know… I don't mind showing off, but I wouldn't want some child to see that sort of thing! But someone who's actually older and only _looks_ like a cute little girl, that's okay."

Vita blinked a few times. "Um… Takamachi… is she serious?"

Nanoha, who was still more or less non-verbal, gave a single exasperated nod… and then winced, tears welling up in her eyes.

"OH! Oh, sorry, here you go." Vita said, a ball of green light appearing in her hands. She gently tossed the ball in Nanoha's general direction, where it burst into a small half-sphere that covered the fallen girl. Instantly Nanoha felt the pain from her wounds numb slightly. "Delayed spell, a little gift from a certain worry-wart Knight of the Lakes who shall go unnamed. It won't exactly fix you up, but it should keep you _alive_ at least."

"Thanks, Vita…" Nanoha managed to choke out, beginning to stir. She wasn't exactly feeling good, but at least her mind had cleared somewhat. She put her hands beneath her in an effort to climb to her feet, and nearly managed to do it when…

Vita slapped her lightly on the back.

"AH!" Nanoha gasped as a wave of pain flooded her, stealing the strength from her limbs. "Wh-what was that for?!" She asked indignantly as she sprawled in the dirt again.

"What part of 'it won't exactly fix you up' did you not understand?" Vita asked dryly. "That spell was more like a bandage than genuine healing, dummy. It stopped the bleeding, but that doesn't mean you're in any condition to be walking around, so you just stay down there and wait patiently while I sort this out."

"But…" Nanoha began.

"If you try to help me fight, I'll knock you out myself! Better that than letting you reopen your wounds and having you die on me!" Vita snapped.

Nanoha, eyes wide, stopped trying to get up.

Amaterasu, eyes, equally wide, stared at Vita. "So… um… I sort of assumed, I'll admit, but you _are_ her ally, right?"

Vita smirked and hefted Graf Eisen over her shoulder lazily. "I'm her _friend_."

"… you've got an odd way of showing it."

* * *

 

Hayate was not having a good time. She watched in extreme annoyance as the bolt of white light from her Hraesvelgr, which _should_ have reduced anything it hit to scrap and blasted that Testarossa woman into unconsciousness through the shockwaves alone, was instead cancelled out and dispersed by a bolt of at _least_ equal intensity from the war machine she was targeting.

Being matched in power was a new experience for her. She didn't like it.

The problem, she mused, was that she had never actually done this before. Her training thus far had been limited to only the few scant hours of practice she could work in between the endless legal proceedings and debriefings. And while she did have _some_ combat experience, the fact was that in her first… and only… genuine battle, she'd been relying on Reinforce to do most of the heavy lifting in terms of spell-casting and aiming, while she provided the raw muscle. The effort had been hers, but Reinforce had been the one who knew how best to direct that effort to achieve the desired results.

Reinforce Zwei, however, was an infant. She couldn't even project a solid body for herself yet, and certainly didn't have the original's extensive spell library and centuries of experience. Granted, their union still gave Hayate _vastly_ enhanced accuracy and efficiency (Hayate had once attempted a basic TSAB trainee target shooting exercise without Rein. She had missed not only the target but the _entire shooting range_ , punching through the containment barriers to strike and demolish a condemned building over two miles away. It was in this manner that she learned two things: first, that her aim sucked. Second, that the Bureau kept its training facilities far, far away from inhabited areas for an extremely good reason), but Rein's childish enthusiasm simply didn't have the same value as Reinforce's coolness under pressure and ability to more-or-less do anything.

And so Hayate had decided to do something with the Tome of the Night Sky that she would _never_ have otherwise considered: use it like the Book of Darkness.

She had downloaded the majority of her own power into the pages; not her linker core, simply her magical stamina. This left her mostly drained, but with her spells now easily accessible as pages that could be burned through from the Book at will. Granted, since what she held was not truly the original Tome but a version that had been corrupted, purged and reformatted from the ground up, it didn't handle storage as well... the pages would fade away within fifteen minutes _if_ she was lucky, and filling one of them took a good deal more power than simply casting the same spell herself. But despite the intense shortcomings, it also meant that her tremendously time-intensive attacks could be launched far more quickly than she could cast them herself. Combine this with Rein's unison to actually give her some ability to _aim_ , and for the short time she could maintain such a strategy, she would be a force to be reckoned with.

An older, wiser Hayate, fully trained as a mage, would have disdained such tactics in favor of far more reliable abilities, she was sure. But for a young, untrained Hayate… trading most of her power for a brief window where she could actually manage her spells quickly enough to be _useful_ wasn't a horrible plan.

She just hadn't counted on finding anything with the raw power to _counter_ said spells.

She slashed one hand through the air, and the white Belkan triangle above the battlefield turned a sickly shade of black. Another page of the Tome went blank, and a small storm of black lightning shot down from the tips of the rune… only to be intercepted by a volley of bright white spheres. The combat spells exploded violently on impact, each cancelled by the other… and leaving Hayate in the same rapidly diminishing position she'd been in before.

Precia smiled at her… or more specifically, at her book. "Interesting read?" she asked in a slightly mocking tone. She was very clearly holding back and letting her pet machine wear through Hayate's energy, and having a grand time doing it.

 _I think she might have figured us out, Meister._ Rein offered.

 _Yes, I am aware of that._ Hayate agreed, wracking her brain for some way out of this mess.

 _Oh! Oh! Oh! I know!_ Rein thought enthusiastically. _Let's… and you'll love this!... burn through **all of our power at once** to fire off one big cannon!_

… _Rein?_

_Yes, Meister?_

_Wouldn't the resulting explosion kill her? In fact, wouldn't it kill us as well, in addition to everyone else even remotely nearby?_

… _Okay, that wasn't a good plan._ Rein thought, her tone not noticeably becoming any less chipper. _But I'm sure I'll think of something!_

 _Actually, your plan did have some merit._ Hayate replied. _It **is** time to stop playing nice. _

Raising her staff above her head, she burned through three of the remaining stored pages simultaneously, gathering so much power to herself that the resulting glow was difficult for even her to stare directly at. She slashed the staff downwards, and once again a Belkan sigil appeared in the above the machine.

And then another to its left.

And then another to its right.

Thus insuring that there was no possible way the machine's main cannon could deflect all of them.

Precia analyzed the situation and (after shrouding herself in her most powerful personal shield because she wasn't a moron) cast Hayate a glare of absolute malice. Hayate smiled sweetly in a response and waggled the fingers on her staff-hand to say 'bye bye'.

 _Rein, if you don't mind?_ Hayate thought, climbing higher into the sky to avoid getting caught in her own blast.

 _Ready, set, **charge!**_ Reinforce shouted with cheerful abandon, triggering all three spells.

Boom.

* * *

 

Susanoo fell back, raising his hand to a new gash on his chest. "Wow. You're… sort of more vicious than I've come to expect from the Bureau. Are you even pulling your punches at all?"

Signum flicked her sword once to get the blood off. "If I wasn't pulling my punches, you wouldn't be breathing. Our mistress has ordered us to take you alive, but that's the only leniency you'll get from me."

He sighed. "Ugh. You're way too much like my sisters. You say that you're not trying to kill me, but when your eyes are so cold, it's really hard to believe you."

Signum shrugged. "Laevateinn isn't really a weapon suited for holding back… and I'm not very good at it myself. It's possible my instincts took over when I saw an opening. I'll apologize now in case it happens again and I kill you by accident."

"HA! Yeah, sure. If your 'instinct' is to cut me in half, can you really call it an accident?" He asked dryly. "Still, I owe you for showing up when you did and saving those kids, so I guess it's all right. And at least I don't have to hold back against you. Being pushed to my limits hasn't happened in awhile, so it should be pretty interesting..."

Signum considered this for a moment. "Why do you assume," She began, "That I'll only be pushing you as far as 'your limits'?"

And then she vanished, disappearing from his vision in a blur of motion, the sudden burst of speed ending with her blade slashing from his unprotected side. She was, as per her orders, going to make the effort to bring him down non-lethally… but not gently. If she could disable one of his arms, his ability to use his weapon would be crippled and she could mop him up with relative ease. She needed to end this quickly and get to Hayate's side… Hayate was strong, but simple observation was enough for Signum to know that she was better suited to wide-range bombardment than small-scale battle. To make matters worse, both Hayate and the remnants of Reinforce that acted as the intellect of her weapon were amateurs at best. Her power was undeniable, but Signum did not place her chances in single combat against a capable opponent as being very high.

Besides, a Knight's proper place was between her master and danger. Even if Hayate had been an experienced veteran with a hundred battles under her belt, Signum still would have felt more comfortable acting as her shield… so it was time to deal with this obstacle and get to it.

His attack strength was considerable, but he was still slower than her and he seemed to rely on his natural armor and durability rather than any sort of defensive magic, so her sword should have no problem cutting if he couldn't get his blade into a blocking position…

And he couldn't swing the _blade_ completely around in time. The handle was another matter. Her blade struck the bottom of his device, holding her in place until he could spin into a wide arc that she only blocked by freeing up one of her hands and bringing Laevateinn's sheathe into the path of the strike.

The sheathe began to glow as it prepared to deflect the axe.

Unfortunately, nobody had told the axe it was supposed to be deflected.

The sheathe didn't break, but it didn't completely stop the attack either. Signum felt the energy burn at her hands as the defensive effort didn't _quite_ halt the incoming strike and she was sent flying in a manner that was not _nearly_ as dignified as she would have preferred.

He continued his charge, coming at her straight on with the center of the axe's head. It wasn't exactly a 'conventional' attack to make with an axe, but Signum couldn't help but notice that the inner portion of the weapon still looked sharp enough to do some noticeable damage. She brought her sword and sheathe up together in a two-layered guard… and found herself being pushed backwards regardless of her defensive stance. He angled the charge downward… attempting to pin her between the ground and his weapon?

 _Unacceptable._ Signum thought, and began to take steps to show her feelings on the subject.

Signum focused more of her power in Laevateinn and pushed back with all of her own considerable strength. Her backward motion abruptly halted as she planted her feet in midair and, she was willing to admit, took a second to relish the shocked look on her opponent's face.

"Did you think it would be so simple, brat?"

 **"Schlangenform!"** Laevateinn shouted, the blade snapping out into its secondary form as a bladed whip. Eyes widening in surprise as the extending blade forced him backwards at a surprising rate, Susanoo swung his weapon in an effort to dislodge the snakelike weapon… only to watch with growing concern as it continued to move on its own, weaving through the air around him until long after it had grown far more than such a small sword physically _could_ have, trapping him inside its ever-growing blade.

Oh, and then it burst into flame. He was slightly more concerned after that.

Signum pulled on the hilt of the whip-sword, drawing the trap closed. The holes in the 'net' shrunk to the point that escape was only possible by punching through a web made of burning razors. What made this such an effective technique for containment, of course, was the fact that there were very, very few people who could maintain their calm when trapped in such situation _._ They would either panic, or stop and try to think of a clever solution, neither of which was likely to get them out before the net closed. The 'correct' response was what Fate had done in a similar situation, thread an attack through the holes left by the blade; it wasn't easy, but with good reflexes and some calm under fire, it was a very valid counter. Beyond that, the only option was to try simply smashing their way out.

This was not to say that smashing out would be a _good_ plan. The fact that any spell able to break out would be highly explosive meant that it was, in fact, a very _bad_ plan, for both the person trapped and Signum herself. Luckily, she had not, in her previous experience, met a great many people willing to _explode themselves_ in order to escape a movement restricting technique.

Susanoo drew back his weapon in a two-handed grip, and said, "Right then! Let's just smash our way out, Raijin!"

Signum considered this for a brief moment.

"Laevateinn, withdraw before-" She began. The explosion sort of drowned out the rest of the sentence.

It also drowned out most of Signum's reality for the next several seconds.

Signum blinked her eyes rapidly, attempting to bring her vision back into focus as Laevateinn withdrew back into a sword; she wasn't certain, but she thought she saw some metal fall off the blade as it returned to its base shape and hoped that it wasn't damaged. It might not be; her vision was, after all, blurred. She didn't _hear_ her blade state it was injured, but that might have just been because her ears were ringing. She brushed her armor to get a few smoldering embers off her shoulder.

The boy, once the smoke cloud cleared, looked pretty much how she felt. The energy from the blast had mostly been moving _away_ from him, she'd known, but he'd still blown himself up, after all. He shook his head a few times, checked all his limbs as if making sure he was still alive, and then began to make a strange sort of convulsion in his chest. He pressed one palm on his face and threw his head back, his mouth open wide. Signum had a pretty good idea of what he was doing then, and once her ears stopped ringing she was indeed rewarded by the sound of slightly maniacal laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, oh yes! That was _great!_ Oh, man, every time I think that I can't be having any more fun, someone new pops up and... _wow!_ Just _wow_!" He exulted. "Can I assume you've got more to offer? Because I've only just gotten started, and if you disappoint me now I'll never forgive you!"

And, for the first time in the course of the battle, Signum truly smiled.

"As a knight," She said, "It would be quite a blow to my pride if I couldn't meet your standards. Rest assured, this duel has barely even begun."

* * *

 

Vita was a little bit on fire, but beyond that, she felt things were going pretty well.

She was mature enough to admit that, under normal circumstances, she wasn't sure she'd be winning. If she had to guess, she'd say she had better offenses, but this lady was irritatingly hard to pin down. A big damn hammer was a wonderful thing to have, but it didn't help unless you could hit what you were aiming at. Fortunately, Takamachi had slowed this girl down enough that Vita could reliably do just that.

Granted, the lady was tougher than she looked, and holding up better than her appearance would suggest. She'd ditched the magic-cutting spear she'd been using on Takamachi for some kind of spell that made her normal device glow red-hot. Or at least it _looked_ red-hot… in reality, it had to be a hell of a lot hotter since it had made Vita's dress catch on fire. It wasn't exactly burning quickly, but it told Vita she did _not_ want to take a direct hit to her skin from anything that could ignite her Knight Armor, even this particular set (As much as she loved the armor Hayate had designed for her, she sometimes wished it didn't have quite so many frills. They looked fine, but damn if they didn't get caught on stuff or, y'know, catch on fire all the freakin' time. She'd give up the hat over her dead body, of course).

She brought her hammer smashing down on the lighter weapon, Graf Eisen glowing red itself where it came into contact with the spear. But Eisen was made of stern stuff, and a little heat wouldn't be melting him any time soon, meaning she could use her _favorite_ strategy: 'hit it until it breaks'.

Amaterasu pressed back against the incoming hammer as best she could, the locked weapons striking up sparks and small fires igniting where metal touched metal. _Things are looking a little grim. I have enough stamina for one more battle, but my wounds are slowing me down and my armor isn't up to taking any big hits. Should I use my Final Drive? I hate to spend so much effort on these kids, but I could really use the firepower…_ She sighed internally. _Also, whoever dressed her in that cute dress should be arrested for false advertising, because once you get to know her she isn't cute or elegant at **all.** I feel so **cheated.**_

Deciding it was time to be sneaky, Amaterasu stopped resisting, allowing Vita's swing to add momentum to her own backwards retreat. Once a little bit of distance had been gained, she slashed her weapon in an arc and said, "Burn!"

" **Spark Rain!"** Kagutsuchi said obediently, the tip of the blade igniting the air as it slashed, releasing a wave of small fireballs; none of them were even the size of a person's fist, but they made this up with sheer numbers.

Vita, rather than pursue, produced a quartet of metal balls and struck them with her hammer, which snapped " **Schwalbe Fliegen!"**

It was not, visibly, much of a contest; four bolts against at least thirty. But, as Amaterasu noted, when the four bolts could be _directed_ and the thirty could not, it wasn't too terrible a matchup… Vita didn't even really have to dodge, just raise a shield and block a small portion of the attack. Amaterasu, on the other hand, suddenly found evasive maneuvers to be highly valuable to her continued health.

She slashed the first ball out of the air, but even her spear could only be in one place at a time. Running became the name of the game, with the remaining three bolts coming in rather closely behind her. Vita hovered in place behind her shield, directing the attack with one hand and not _quite_ smirking but coming close enough for Amaterasu to recognize she was being silently mocked. _Ooooooh, you little… fine! I can't control thirty bullets, but I can **damn well control five**. _She thought darkly, gesturing with her free hand.

Five of the scattered fireballs changed their direction to strike at Vita from the rear. Shocked out of her defensive stance, her shield collapsed and her attack spell lost its momentum; the metal spheres lost their red glow and fell from the sky.

It was then that Amaterasu felt something strange. Her weapon was emitting as much ambient heat as always, so why did it seem like the world had suddenly become a much colder place?

Vita emerged from the flames, badly singed, and holding something in her hands. It was a strange, misshapen lump of ashes that looked like it had might once have been a small piece of cloth… maybe a pair of gloves, or a small article of clothing like that. _Is that something's head on the side there?_ Amaterasu wondered. _What the… OH! The hat, that's right. Huh. Didn't think any of my shots got through, but looks like at least one made it. … Why is she looking at me like that?_ She vaguely thought, wondering why, exactly, Vita's eyes had lost all trace of humanity and were gazing at her with all the pity and restraint of a hungry shark.

"Um… young lady? Are you quite all right?" Amaterasu asked, wondering if she had just made some sort of huge faux pas. Perhaps hats held some religious significance to this girl's people?

" _Graf… **EISEN!** " _Vita roared.

" **Gigantform!"**

As she watched the gigantic hammer begin to swing in her direction, her only thought was a strangely calm, _Definitely held some religious significance. Should probably mention that to her majesty, could be important later._

* * *

 

Zafira took a brief glance in Signum's direction to make sure his commander was still alive. Her corner of the battlefield had gotten a great deal more hectic recently, and Zafira had the sneaking suspicion she'd started _enjoying herself_. It had been awhile since he'd seen Signum _really_ have fun… generally speaking, when that happened she was a danger to herself and everyone in her immediate vicinity, so he knew better than to actually go over and _check_ on her. Only a moron got between Signum and someone she was intent on fighting seriously.

Satisfied that Signum was still alive based solely on the fact that _someone_ was still fighting _someone_ and there were only two candidates, Zafira turned back to his opponent. The girl was putting up a commendable fight, but it was fairly clear that she was also on the verge of exhaustion. Her spells lacked the sharpness of just a few minutes prior, and she was visibly struggling for breath.

"Have you reconsidered your position? I will accept a surrender whenever you choose to offer it." He rumbled.

Tsukuyomi considered her options. _I'm more drained than I thought. I've been burning through energy too fast this entire battle, trying to keep up with multiple opponents… but I should have enough left if the enemy is just a familiar._

"I will assume that is a refusal, then." Zafira said.

He came at her even faster than before, a glowing fist leading the way. She raised a barrier in time, but the impact was still notable. More to the point, he must have worked some sort of barrier-breaker into his attack, because while her shield didn't fall, it began to crack around the edges. Still it stopped him long enough for her purposes. Never one to turn down a good tactic, she borrowed one from him and stabbed her staff right through her own shield. He caught the tip of the weapon on his gauntlet easily enough, but then, the point had never been a physical attack…

The tip of her staff burst into silver light as she took a page from a different book of 'tactics' and used her brother's trick of releasing what was normally meant to be a ranged attack into the enemy at point-blank range. Susa enjoyed this tactic because his attacks tended to violently explode on impact and he could usually assume he was better able to take the blast than his enemy. Tsukuyomi, on the other hand, was able to use it because her spells _didn't_ explode. The beam pushed the familiar backwards, burning away at his armor but remaining coherent as it drove him backwards. It was an effort to keep it from exploding the second it touched him, but it was worth it even if only for the breather it gained her.

A _brief_ breather. This one was tenacious, and he had already slid off her beam with nothing more crippling than a shattered gauntlet. Perhaps… yes, it would cost a bit more energy than she'd have prepared, but compared to the power a slugging match would cost, it wasn't a horrible strategy. "Hide me, please…" she asked her device.

 **"Lunatic Veil.** " Suijin obliged.

From nowhere, the mist spread, and Tsukuyomi let out an internal sigh of relief. Even if he saw through it eventually, like Takamachi, it would buy her a few free shots and a bit of time. She was… hmmmm… running on about a third of her beginning stamina. Not exactly critical condition quite yet, but approaching the point where conservation was starting to become a priority if she wanted to last out the battle.

She leveled her staff at the suddenly-concerned looking familiar, energy gathering in the gem. She should finish him in a single shot if possible, so she drifted closer and slightly to the side, to get a clear shot at the back of his neck…

And without ever looking at her, he rocketed perfectly in her direction.

Caught completely off-guard, she could only stare wide-eyed as a sudden crushing pressure filled her midsection ( _he struck me, direct hit, at least three ribs shattered, damage significant_ )and she was sent hurtling backwards through the sky. She 'fell' to her 'knees', at least as much as anyone could while in midair, and wiped blood from her mouth in open shock. Her illusionary mist dissolved with the sudden loss of concentration.

Zafira looked in her direction and shrugged. "You had my eyes and ears fooled, but even a wolf Guardian Beast is still a wolf. Unless your illusion can deceive my nose, it's useless." He held his hands out, and pillars of white light, barriers to restrict motion, sprung into existence around her. "You fought valiantly, but this is where it ends."

"… … ah…" Tsukuyomi sighed, then winced as even this slight motion aggravated her broken ribs. _Tracking by scent? That should have occurred to me. Familiars **are** annoying._

_Big brother, I don't mean to interrupt, but a certain level of aid would be appreciated…_

* * *

 

You couldn't really call it a fight anymore. 'Fights' have a certain level of elegance and skill. Things like tactics are involved.

This was a _brawl._

Neither Signum nor Susanoo was pursuing anything resembling a strategy. The occasional blast of fire or lightning lit up the sky, but for the most part the battle had devolved into an effort to hack each other to pieces. Both of them looked like they should be in a hospital instead of on the battlefield, but neither showed any signs of stopping. The banter that the boy had insisted on pursuing was abandoned to the sound of metal against metal and… occasionally… metal against flesh. It was nothing more nor less than a brutal fight for survival, with no holds barred on either side.

In spite of this… or rather, _because_ of this… both of them appeared to be having the time of their lives.

The two warriors fell back briefly, gasping for air and wondering if they were bleeding badly enough that they'd die if they didn't stop to staunch it. Granted, neither was exactly _human_ and so their 'blood' was more for show than genuine use, but it still wasn't good to lose _all_ of it.

"Ha… ha… ha…" Susanoo panted. "You're very impressive. I'm having… a _great_ time."

"Likewise." Signum agreed.

"May I have your name, lady knight?"

"Signum, of the Wolkenritter. You already know Laevateinn."

He didn't bow for fear she'd strike while his eyes were averted, but he inclined his head in a show of respect. "Susanoo, a guardian god of the Twilight Palace."

"God?"

"It's not a title I ever asked for, but you know how these things work. Live for a few hundred years, have a lot of power, win battles all the time... after awhile of that, people start calling you all kinds of things." Susanoo said, shrugging as best he could with his shoulders lacerated.

Signum smiled wryly. "I can relate. Although in my case, I was more commonly referred to as 'demon', 'monster', 'murderer'…"

"Oh. Guess I had a more forgiving audience."

" **Introduce me too!"**

"This is Raijin. You can mostly ignore her. She's a brat." He said.

" ** _Hey!_** _"_

"Well, in any event, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Signum."

"Likewise, I suppose… though I wish it had been under different circumstances."

"Agreed. I'd love a rematch, no matter which of us wins… but at this rate only one of us is going to come out of this alive."

Signum smiled slightly. "Surrender and let me take you in peacefully, and I'll happily schedule a rematch whenever you want."

"HA! If I made you the same offer would _you_ take it?" He asked, his own smirk widening towards a genuine smile. Without even waiting for the obvious answer, he lifted his blade and dropped into a stance to charge. "Are you up for a bit more, Raijin?"

" **Cut her down!"**

Signum nodded and did likewise. "Laevateinn?"

" **Jawohl!"**

And then, just as the fun was really about to continue, Susanoo's eyes widened and his smile utterly vanished as events on a different battlefield came to his attention.

There are several sorts of 'big brother'; the cold and aloof type, the affectionate kind, the ones that acted more like a parent than a sibling, and so on. Susanoo, personally, was of the school of thought which stated 'Big bro is big so he can protect the ones who are born after him'. He tried to give Tsuku her independence, of course… she was roughly 1,800 years old, and could safely be called a 'big girl'. But, on the off chance she ran into something she couldn't quite handle, well…

He turned, and began to rush to Tsuku's aid, his opponent completely forgotten. _Hang on! I'm on my way, just hold on for a few seconds!_ He sent to Tsukuyomi, desperation tingeing his psychic voice. He didn't make it very far before Signum interceded herself between him and where he was trying to reach, her weapon at the ready.

" _Get out of my way!_ " He roared, his weapon bursting to life. He was fully prepared to simply smash his way through with main strength and deal with the consequences later, but despite his efforts Signum matched and repelled him. _No! I don't have time for this!_

"Please, I don't have time for this right now… my little sister, she's…" He began. In his mind, it was only natural that she would let him past if she understood the situation. He himself had let Chrono past him without a fight when Fate had gotten hurt, hadn't he? It was a big bro's job to protect his baby sister whenever and wherever she needed him. Stopping him from doing that job was just _wrong_ ; while he had his doubts as to the morality of some of the actions he'd found himself and his siblings taking recently, that much he knew for sure _._ Some things were just _evil_.

Signum's eyes did soften, but her words made his stomach sink. "For what it's worth, I truly apologize. I can guarantee that Zafira will not kill that girl, but I also can't allow you to aid her."

"But… look, I'm sure you're not lying to me, but accidents still happen! We've already lost so much, and I can't... I won't lose my family too! _Please_ , I'm begging you… I swear I won't hurt your friend, I _swear_ it! I just have to help her!"

"… I'm sorry." Signum said again, raising her blade.

"I… I see." He said, his eyes growing very cold. "In that case, I'm sorry too. Raijin, load up a long range assault, full power, maximum spread."

 **"Storm Shatter, stand by!"** His device said agreeably.

Signum blinked once in confusion. The pressure of the magic he was gathering was immense, but what was the point of telegraphing his attack to that degree? If she saw it coming so far in advance with nothing to keep her in this spot, she could dodge it easily. It didn't matter if it was a strong spell if it didn't connect…

"Just so you know, I'm not playing here. This spell will have a truly lethal amount of energy behind it. Your armor is very good, so you might be able to take a direct hit, but I wouldn't bet on it. I really am sorry about this, but if my family is in trouble, even I can be a bit cold hearted." He said. He swung his weapon and released the massive wave of energy… but not at Signum.

It took her slightly less than a second to recognize to her horror that he had spun upon swinging, and his attack had actually been aimed far across the sky… directly at Hayate.

* * *

 

Amaterasu felt the wind from the hammer as it missed her by scant inches and tore a new crater in the rapidly diminishing landscape.

"In the name of every god there ever was, _the hat will grow back!_ " She snapped in something vaguely like desperation.

" _It's the principle of the thing!_ " Vita roared.

Nanoha, still lying on the ground, watched the battle with a slightly depressed expression. _What does it say about our relationship that she's angrier about the hat being broken than **me** being broken? _She thought glumly.

There was no question of 'defense' in Amaterasu's mind. Susa could have blocked this hammer by matching the strength of the attack, and if she were at her best she could have… possibly… managed a similar feat. But as things stood, she didn't have a prayer. A hit meant defeat, so all she could do was dodge.

Luckily, the hammer was pretty slow.

Unluckily, the hammer was _really big._

And even more unluckily, she was getting distracted by a bad feeling about the others. It had never been adequately explained whether it was intentional or they'd just developed the ability on their own, but no matter how far apart they were, they always had at least a vague idea of what the others were doing. 'Tsuku is hungry' or 'Susa is in a good mood', that sort of thing. And currently, that tiny awareness was telling her 'Tsuku is in trouble and Susa is getting desperate, so get to them _right now_ '.

_Right then. No choice. I'll just have to go all-out and end this quickly…_

"Give me wings, Kagutsuchi!" She commanded.

" **Flash Step."**

The blue-haired woman burst into a blur as the spell took effect, gaining the distance she needed. "All right! Give me every last bit of power you've got, a full ignition! Let's… do… this?" She said, her voice falling into confusion as she noted a shadow overhead.

She looked up, and realized that as large as Vita's hammer had been... until now, it had not been _nearly_ as large as it could have been.

" _Gigant... CRUSHER!"_ Vita roared.

Now considerably larger than both of the actual combatants put together, the monstrous weapon descended. There was not a whole lot Amaterasu could do but place her own (woefully small, it seemed) device into its path, put all her power into a barrier, and pray. _This is really going to hurt, isn't it?_ She thought glumly.

Whatever a goddess prayed to was apparently not listening, she couldn't help but notice as she began moving very quickly toward the ground. _Oh, Hells._ She thought. "Kagutsuchi, complete drive ignition, before..." she said. She very nearly managed to finish the sentence before impact, as the impossibly large hammer smashed her into the ground with enough force to split it.

Nanoha looked on, eyes wide, as the hammer smashed into the ground with brutal force, the blue haired woman beneath it. _Wow. Vita… wasn't that a bit harsh? I know you like the hat, but…_

 _Shut up._ Vita thought.

_Eh?!_

_Don't distract me._ Vita thought bluntly, looking at the head of her own weapon, buried in the rocks. _She's not done yet._

 _But…_ Nanoha began, before cutting herself off in mid-thought as she noticed something that convinced her that Vita was right. Specifically… the ambient temperature in the area had just jumped. Significantly.

A jet of flame exploded from the shattered earth beneath the hammer, prompting Vita to draw the weapon back and drop into a ready stance.

Amaterasu stepped from the crater. Her barrier jacket had not grown back so much as _changed_ into an entirely different jacket, a suit of red plate with a golden flame image on the breastplate and 'wings' of red energy sprouting from her elbows and ankles. The blade of her spear had grown considerably, branching out into a jagged trident that looked more like it was intended for _tearing_ someone than cutting or stabbing.

" **Fire Empress form, set-up confirmed.** " Kagutsuchi said.

Vita smirked. _Told ya._ She thought. _Well, at least she's not hiding anything from me anymore._

Amaterasu opened her eyes, and the look in them could not possibly have been colder. "I'd apologize about the hat... but I don't really see the point. You're not going to have a head for much longer, after all."


	16. On the Path to Twilight

Hayate looked down at the rising smoke and nodded in satisfaction at a job well done. _Right then. You **can't** tell me **that** didn't hurt, you toaster with delusions of grandeur. _She thought.

 _That. Was. Great. **We** are great! We're the absolute best! _Rein cheered. _She was all 'Bwahahaha, I am evil!' and then we were like 'ka-boom!' and she was like 'aaaaaaaah!' We win, we win!_

Hayate grinned at the sheer exuberance of it, but restricted her actual thoughts to _Don't get **too** excited, our Knights are still in danger **.** Although yes, I'd agree that this was quite an excellent victory_.

You'd really have thought that by now, a couple of smart girls like them would have learned not to tempt fate.

As she caught the growing illumination out of the corner of her eye, she turned to see the wave of azure lightning roaring towards her. _Not good_. She thought, but really it wasn't _that_ not good. It wasn't very fast, so she could probably just dodge it. Even if she couldn't, one of her stored spells would probably be able to counter, and…

Her hair began to stand on end. The smell of ozone assaulted her nostrils as tiny crackles of violet electricity snapped through the air around her. She turned _again_ , to find Precia Testarossa emerging from the smoke, more or less unharmed. A thin line of blood was running from her nose and her hair looked a bit singed, but the pressure of her magic had not noticeably decreased in power, and given that lightning was arcing between her staff and outstretched hand and she was looking at Hayate as though she was some sort of repulsive insect that needed stomping, Hayate was willing to guess that she probably wasn't in a good mood.

 _Really not good!_ Hayate thought, but she could probably still come up with a way out of this. She threw her mind into her next spells, calling up something that could deal with threats from two directions at once without blowing herself up. She could _do_ this, she knew it…

The sound of motors whirring filled the air as something mechanical stirred below her. The Colossus, sparks flying from the joints of one leg that was not moving in sync with the others, nonetheless stood up. And its eye started to glow.

 ** _Really not good_** _!_ Hayate thought.

And then a violet chain wrapped around her ankles as Precia's binding spell took hold, trapping her in the path of… well, of _everything_.

 _Oh, now this is just getting stupid_. Hayate thought. Honestly, if _one more_ thing went wrong in rapid succession, she'd start to genuinely become convinced this was all some sort of strange dream…

 **"Panzer Geist!** " a mechanical voice said, and a magenta comet interjected itself between the lightning and Hayate.

Hayate's eyes widened as the blast impacted against a body and sword limned in a defensive aura, the conflicting spells _screaming_ as Susanoo's attack spell attempted to rip through Signum and was met with staunch resistance.

 _S-signum?!_ Hayate thought in something between shock and terror. To start, she hadn't thought Signum fast enough to get to her in time, but more to the point… her Knight's commander was strong, yes, but a direct hit from a spell of that magnitude...

 _What are you doing?! Get out of the way before-_ Hayate snapped mentally.

 _You have other things to worry about!_ Signum interrupted, her psychic voice thick with strain. Her defensive aura was beginning to dim, and the wave of light was showing no signs of halting in its pressure against her, but this was the only way she could be certain of Hayate's safety. With such a huge, diffuse mass of energy, even if she'd managed to scatter it with one of her own offensive spells she couldn't have been certain that a lethal dose wouldn't still reach her master. This way, she could be _very_ certain.

The only question was whether she would be certain _and_ alive. Her shields were gone, and now Laevateinn's sheathe, the next line of defense, was beginning to shake…

Her next line of _defense?_

No, no that wouldn't do. A knight did _not_ let an enemy set the course of battle.

" _Laevateinn_!" She growled. She whipped the cracking sheathe out of the line of fire and more _slammed_ than slashed her sword into the wall of energy, beginning her counteroffensive. Flame ran along the length of the blade, melding and clashing with the energy of the enormous spell she was holding back with a single sword and sheer force of will.

But judging by the screaming in the air as the competing magics collided, she would not be holding it back for too long. Not because she was growing tired or in any way planning to give up, but because judging by the way the conflicting energies were starting to get more violent, there shortly would be nothing to hold back… and not in the good way.

 _This is going to be uncomfortable._ She thought, just before the explosion.

* * *

 

"Sorry…" Susanoo whispered under his breath as the blast lit up the sky behind him. The lady might not have won any points for standing between him and his sister, but he'd truly wanted to pursue their match to its conclusion, and he hadn't liked launching a lethal spell in the direction of someone he'd never even spoken to. To make matters worse, Ms. Signum was clearly a guardian right after his own heart; he wouldn't have known which person to target if she hadn't subtly, probably even subconsciously glanced toward that _particular_ direction every few seconds, risking her own safety in order to keep watch over her mistress. She was a true knight, and casting aside their duel in such a manner stung quite a bit.

Still, family came first.

 _There_. He thought, as the target became distinguishable from the spells that were still hovering in the air around him. He fought to keep the red haze of fury out of his mind when he saw Tsukuyomi wounded and trapped… she was still alive, and it really wasn't right to get angry at an enemy soldier just for doing his duty unless he'd done something really horrible. _Keep in mind that she's not **his** family. If I were in his position, I wouldn't have done anything differently. _

Nope, no good… the thought didn't calm him very much at all. Familial over-protectiveness is rarely a logical emotion.

The axe descended, striking the guardian beast's shield and digging in, cracks visibly appearing. Rather than wait for his barrier to be broken, Zafira instead lashed out, grabbing the shaft of the device to hold it still and sending his free fist directly toward the boy's face.

He caught it.

Zafira, eyes wide, pressed forward, only to be met with equal pressure in return as Susanoo leaned forward, his face set in a snarl. "Get. Out. Of. My. _WAY!_ "

Zafira wasn't entirely sure what happened… one second he was in a deadlock, the next there was an explosion of blue light and he was falling backwards with smoke curling from the arm that had been clamped on the boy's weapon. When he managed to right himself, Susanoo had already smashed through his bindings around the girl and positioned himself between her and Zafira.

"Are you all right, Tsuku? Can you move on your own? If you need to retreat, I'll cover you, so…"

"I've taken some damage, but I should be fine with a few minutes to devote to self-repair." Tsukuyomi said reassuringly. She then winced. "Perhaps more than a few. But still, I'd say you look worse than I do…"

"Eh? Oh! Yeah, I met a fun girl." He said, apparently considering that to be sufficient explanation for the blood and burns. And really, for him, it kind of was. "But don't worry about me, you're more important. I'll take care of this guy, so you just relax, all right? You're too important to lose."

"Miss Precia could take my role, if such became necessary. The mission wouldn't be completely lost if I…"

"Not that, dummy! I realize the competition isn't exactly steep, but you're my favorite sister, okay? If I lost you, I don't know what I'd do."

Tsukuyomi did not quite blush. "S-stop that. You're starting to sound like big sister…"

"... _Never say that again._ " He said solemnly, a look of mingled embarrassment and disgust on his face. Leaving her to her self-administered first aid, he turned and brandished his weapon at Zafira. "Now… ordinarily I like to handle introductions, chat a bit, that sort of thing, but… well, our situation is getting a bit desperate, and _you hurt my sister_. If I defeat you, I won't execute you when you're helpless. Beyond that, I promise nothing. You have a problem with that?"

Zafira chose to respond to this in the manner which, to him, seemed most obvious… he gathered his power, snarled deep in his throat, and in short order a gigantic blue-gray wolf stood where the dark-skinned man had been.

" _Good_." Susanoo said, his own voice pretty close to a growl itself.

* * *

 

Nanoha pushed herself up onto her hands and knees. _Good. Good. I've made it this far and I'm not even dizzy. It hurts, but I'm not disoriented._ That was good, in her eyes… pain could be fought through, but dizziness was a killer. There was only so much you could do when the problem was that the world wouldn't stop spinning around you. _So if I know I can fight through it, all I have to do is actually fight through it. No problem. I'll be back to my feet in no time._

It was, realistically, the only option, at least in her eyes. She had a few reasonably bad cuts, one very bad puncture wound, and some bruises. And that was _it._ She was a girl who'd had her linker core ripped out and partially eaten, one spear in the back was practically _nothing_. And really, the worst of it wasn't even bleeding anymore. She still had plenty of magical energy in reserve and Raising Heart wasn't even slightly damaged. Sure, high-speed combat might be out of her reach just this moment, but the main battle had moved far enough away that all she could see was two red streaks slamming into each other. At this distance, it wouldn't be too hard for her to act as a mid-range sniper and give Vita some support fire.

 _I was **absolutely serious** about knocking you out if you don't stay down! I got my eye on you! _Vita's psychic voice said firmly in her head.

Nanoha's eyes widened. _How… how did she know I was standing up?_ She wondered. The two combatants were, as previously mentioned, so far away they seemed to be only streaks of light, and furthermore were engaged in high-level magical combat at most-likely lethal intensity… and Vita had _noticed her?!_

Vita chose not to share the fact that she'd simply _assumed_ Nanoha would be trying to stand up and get back into the fight by this point, and had yelled at her as a preemptive measure. The kid just didn't know when to quit… and yes, the irony of _Vita_ accusing someone else of _trying too hard_ was quite lost on the Iron Hammer Knight. Not because she had no sense of irony, just because someone was trying to murder her.

The spear slashed through the air, trailing a tail of flame that seemed to ignite whenever the tip moved more than an inch at a time and exploding in a shower of sparks upon contact with Graf Eisen. Vita wasn't the sort to be worried by the appearance of a weapon, but she _was_ a little concerned by the fact that it gave Amaterasu much more of a punch than she'd had before. The spear had always seemed to release its own ambient heat, but now it was actively _on fire_ almost all the time, most likely some kind of permanent enhancement spell, and a pretty nasty one at that. Graf Eisen's external shell was glowing white-hot, and while the hammer wasn't complaining Vita was starting to worry that was just because it was extremely stubborn piece of machinery (and once again, the irony of _her_ accusing _someone else_ of being _too stubborn_ was utterly lost on her). Whereas before the other woman had been mostly dodging or slightly deflecting her strikes, Amaterasu was now meeting every attack head-on and not displaying any significant strain from doing so.

More alarming, however, was the woman's attitude. She wasn't talking, or flirting, or just generally being creepy like before, in favor of being creepier in a completely different way. There wasn't the slightest hint of empathy, humanity, or even really _recognition_ in her eyes. Vita was a thing, that thing was in the way, it would be moved _out_ of the way by any means necessary. Vita supposed that most people would have been disturbed by it, but she herself was more put-off than most simply due to the fact that the look in the woman's eyes and the general _feel_ she was giving off were almost painfully familiar.

More specifically, it reminded Vita a bit of Signum.

Not Signum as she was now, but rather what Signum had _used_ to be like, back before Hayate; pitiless, remorseless, ice-cold and razor-sharp. On one level it was sort of nostalgic, but on another, far more immediate level it made Vita mildly concerned that only the people who were really, really good at killing could pull off an aura like that.

Well, that was just fine. It just so happened that Vita was pretty good at not getting killed.

Once again, she prepared a silver ball to be used as a bullet, but this time it grew to a size fitting Gigantform. " **Kometen Fliegen!"** The hammer said as Vita swung it around and sent the missile roaring out.

Amaterasu looked fantastically unconcerned. "If you don't mind, Kagutsuchi?"

" **Corona Razor."** The spear said, the entire length of the weapon taking on a blue aura, which continued to grow until Amaterasu appeared to be holding onto not so much a 'spear' as a column of blue fire. She then, against all logic, transferred the fire to her free hand and proceeded to throw it like a javelin, the azure missile colliding with Vita's own spell and the two attacks quite handily wiping each other out of existence.

Vita wasn't exactly _enthused_ by this display, but the Kometen Fliegen had been more of a diversion, really. Had it impacted and done damage, that would have been wonderful… but its destruction made a handy smoke screen in any case. The red knight burst through the visual shield, her weapon already swinging in a wide arc.

Unfortunately, a smokescreen worked both ways. If Vita was not enthusiastic about her attack spell being countered, she was even _less_ enthusiastic to discover that Amaterasu had charged forward at the same time she had and was already inside the radius of her swing, and that damn spear was leading the way.

There was absolute no way that she'd be landing a solid hit; the woman was too close, even if she swung she'd just be smacking her with Eisen's shaft and all _that_ would accomplish would be to give her a minor bruise… and immobilize Graf Eisen while an enemy was in easy striking distance. She dodged back instead, continuing the swing anyway in an effort to keep her assailant from advancing.

The woman drew her legs up, used the head of the hammer as a stepping stone… _while it was swinging_ … and brought the spear slashing in.

Vita fell back, clutching the gash in her side, and Amaterasu did not pursue. The Iron Hammer Knight smiled somewhat self-deprecatingly. _Well… she's quicker than before, at least. And that spear has definitely got more stopping power if it can cut my armor so easily. At least I didn't get impaled… still, this might end up being a problem._

The blue-haired woman said, "Your abilities really aren't bad, but your strategy could use a little work. 'Run up and smash' has its merits, but if that sort of thing really worked on me then maybe my baby brother would have actually _won_ a few of our sparring matches."

"Don't worry, I've got plenty of tricks up my sleeve. All I was doin' there was finding out what you're _really_ capable of."

"Oh?" Amaterasu said. And then there was a blur of motion and she was simply _gone_.

Vita's eyes widened, and she moved on pure instinct. There was no time for anything less if she didn't want to end up with several brand new holes in her. She spun in place, hammer fully extended in a wide horizontal arc. She hadn't seen much, but there wasn't any upward motion, so her best bet was to take up as much of a flat plane behind herself as she possibly could and hope that.

She was rewarded by the sound of metal on metal and an intense pressure on her arms as the two weapons locked. Amaterasu's face, painfully near her own, had a small smirk on it as she continued to press forward, pushing in close enough to make it difficult for Vita to even get a swing off.

"I made a eighteen-hundred year career out of destroying people like you. Don't assume I've shown you what I'm really capable of just yet, little brat."

 _Okay,_ Vita thought, _so she's **much** quicker than she was before. _

And, outside the range of vision of either of the two knights, Nanoha Takamachi got to her feet.

* * *

 

 _Lady Signum! Meister, we have to-_ Rein began, her psychic voice shrill with concern as she and Hayate stared at the aftermath of the blast. The littlest member of her retinue looked upon the Wolkenritter as family just as much as Hayate herself did, and her fear for Signum was obvious.

 _Focus, Rein! I'm worried too, but we have problems of our own!_ Hayate ordered. With an effort, Hayate tore her eyes away from where she'd last seen the commander of her Knights. As Signum had pointed out, she really _did_ have some fairly serious problems to deal with at the moment. _Signum can take care of herself better than anyone. She'll… she's alive. I **know** it. But we won't be if we don't focus on the problem in front of us!_

 _B-but… yes. Yes, of course, my lady._ Rein said resolutely.

_First, I need my mobility back **yesterday.** Can you arrange it?_

_I laugh at binding spells!_ Reinforce thought confidently. Hayate felt more than saw the surge of energy… it wasn't a terribly elegant solution, but Rein took hold of their shared magic and shoved raw power into the pattern of the binding, breaking it through main strength. Again, not terribly elegant, but quick and effective; the binding around her legs shattered like glass in an instant.

 _All right, we're free! What's next? That was too easy!_ Rein thought humbly.

 _Well, next we really ought to deal with either the madwoman or the robot before they broil us. Luckily, I have a thought on that subject._ Hayate replied calmly.

Then, in direct opposition to every (limited) tactic she knew and every instinct she possessed, she flew directly towards Precia Testarossa as quickly as she could.

 _Um… Meister?_ Rein thought nervously. _You said you had a 'thought on that subject' but your current actions suggest it might have been something more along the lines of a 'lunatic impulse'…_

 _I've been spending too much time around Vita, maybe?_ Hayate replied with a grin. _Don't worry, I'm almost certain we won't die._

_… almost?!_

**_Trust_** _me._ Hayate replied, her grin only growing.

 _You **have** been spending too much time with Lady Vita... _Rein thought nervously.

Precia, for her part, looked on with some confusion. Thus far, the girl had demonstrated an aptitude for attack spells in the AAA to S+ range or even a little higher, but not much skill in anything else; if she hadn't been running off pre-stored power, she'd have been dead quite some time ago. Was she choosing just now to reveal some heretofore undisplayed talent for close combat? She _was_ a Belkan mage, some close-range aptitude wouldn't be unusual... in fact, it would make more sense than her actual specialty. Well, if that were the case she'd quickly find that Precia's personal shields were more than up to the task of halting any melee attack unless she was caught completely off guard…

Wait. That damn book was glowing again. Well, again, it wasn't a concern… the Colossus may have had some loss of mobility, but its weapons systems were mostly uncompromised. They could easily counter any distance spell, and…

The girl was still flying.

Now, Precia Testarossa was not a combat mage by profession. Her combat magic was very, very good, but that was more of an extension of the fact that _all_ of her magic was very good. She had not _learned_ the magic so she could use it to fight, she had merely learned all the magic she could learn and a lot of it just happened to be for fighting purposes. As a result, her grasp of tactics was not what it could have been and she mostly relied on the fact that her spells were far beyond what most magi could draw on.

Still, even though she might not have been an expert in tactics, she knew enough to know there were some things that no mage would do. The biggest would be 'don't fire long-range bombardment magic at someone who is very close to you, because you will end up blasting yourself'.

Apparently, as Precia realized to her intense horror, Hayate had never been taught this. The girl raised her glowing hand, towards the sky, and the gathering of energy in the Belkan rune that appeared made her previous spells look positively tame by comparison.

 _Is she insane?! At this distance, even if I counter the spell the shockwaves alone will still probably take both of us out of the fight… no, the Colossus uses lethal magic, so countering with that sort of power would probably just get us both killed!_ Precia thought feverishly. Which was, of course, exactly what Hayate had counted on.

Wrapping herself in as many wards as she could muster on short notice, Precia retreated as rapidly as she could.

Not fast _enough,_ but still.

" _Ragnarok!"_

The three blasts of light, one from each point of the triangle, were not aimed directly at Precia… no, that would have been too simple to dodge. Rather, the target was the ground _beneath_ Precia. The light struck and exploded, the dome of energy rapidly expanding.

Hayate smiled at the sight of Precia being swallowed up… it wasn't a lethal spell, of course, but the look of shock on the smug woman's face was just wonderfully cathartic, almost enough to make her forget all about the fact that the explosion had not actually stopped and she was about to be knocked out herself by the same spell. Ah, well…

 _I **don't like this plan!**_ Rein wailed.

 _Well, it got her, so that's the important part…_ Hayate thought somewhat lamely as the explosion… began to move farther away? No, it was still coming at her, but she was moving away from _it_ and going really, _really_ fast and there was a pressure on her throat that was making it sort of hard to breathe, almost as though someone had grabbed her collar and was now dragging her along like she was a disobedient cat. Which was, of course, exactly what someone was doing.

As they finally cleared the blast radius, the pressure on her neck shifted to leave her being lifted by the front of her armor, leaving her suddenly face to face with Signum.

The outer layer of her armor was completely gone and her hair and fallen out of it's ponytail. Laevateinn was clasped firmly in her left hand, and the sheathe was nowhere to be seen; her right hand, the one which _had_ been holding her sword when she'd taken that attack, was shaking slightly (Hayate could tell because it was also clasped onto her collar and lifting her to stare her Knight's commander directly in the eyes).

But at the moment, the thing which struck Hayate the most about the battered knight was that she looked _pissed off_.

"What do you think you are doing?! I understand you are inexperienced, but even you should have realized that was incredibly dangerous! If I had not managed to reach you in time-!"

"Signum, calm down. I had to deal with that woman quickly, and in any case it wasn't a lethal spell so…"

"That is entirely beside the point! Even unconsciousness is not without its risks, and just because your health has improved does not mean you can simply do whatever you like! What if you had damaged your legs?! They're not fully healed yet; the only reason you can even use them now is because of your Unison!" Signum snapped.

 _Also, I **don't like being exploded!**_ Rein chimed in psychically.

Hayate's own expression shifted to an apologetic smile, totally in contrast to Signum's glare. "You're right, of course. I'm sorry I worried you, Signum. You're too good to me."

Signum's eyes widened and what _might_ have been a slight blush came to her cheeks. "Ah. Yes. Well, as long as you… as long as you understand the severity of the situation. I-in any event, I was able to pull you away in time, so I suppose there was no harm done…"

"Could you please let go of my collar?"

"Eh? OH! Yes, I apologize mistress. Forgive my impertinence." Signum said, releasing her death-grip on the front of Hayate's shirt.

Hayate's smile only grew. "Don't apologize. I'd never get angry just because you were worried about me."

Signum's anger had completely dissipated, leaving her looking more and more uncomfortable. "Um… y-yes. Naturally. Such concern for my mistress is completely normal."

"Stop _apologizing_. You did save me, after all."

"Yes. Of course. I do apologize…" Signum began.

"What did I _just say?_ " Hayate asked in a tone of exasperated amusement.

"… for taking so long to reach you. I'm afraid my arm was broken and I had to set the bone."

"Are you okay?! Should you be moving it like that?!" Hayate asked, now somewhat panicked herself. She'd assumed it was _hurt_ by the way it shook, but broken? She'd just used it to drag Hayate to safety!

Signum blinked in confusion a few times. "Is there a problem? The fracture was actually not that serious, so it should be fine for now as long as I hold Laevateinn in the other arm. Fortunately, I'm ambidextrous." As if to prove this, she swung the sword in question once with her undamaged left arm.

Hayate just stared. "Well, if you say so... it's just, doesn't it hurt?"

Signum shrugged and flexed the fingers on her injured hand a few times. There was a cracking noise that made Hayate wince. "Slightly." Signum said, her voice betraying not a single hint of this 'slight pain' she claimed to feel.

Hayate shook her head. "You guys… I guess that once our trial is over I'm going to have to start working harder, you're making me feel inadequate…"

"That was not my intention, mistress," Signum said.

"… yes. I was aware of that. Thank you. _Stop apologizing._ " Hayate said, smiling slightly in spite of herself.

Signum's lips didn't smile, but her eyes most definitely did. "Of course, mistress. I apologize for my apologies."

Hayate tried not to laugh. She mostly succeeded.

And then a blast of white light, so close that Hayate could feel it singe her hair, ruined the moment somewhat.

Slowly, both the young girl and the ancient knight looked down at the gigantic death machine they had… somehow… managed to completely forget about.

"Ah. So… apparently that mech is still active. That's right. It must have… um… gone into an auto-targeting mode when Precia was wounded…" Hayate said, trying her best to sound dignified.

"Yes. Although it seems you managed to damage its targeting computers, at least, or it wouldn't have missed us. Good work, mistress." Signum said solemnly and, to Hayate's great jealousy, without the slightest hint of the embarrassment she had to be feeling.

"Yes. How wonderful for me." Hayate said dryly.

"Quite." Signum replied. "… … we should, perhaps, deal with this."

"I was just thinking that. That armor is unreasonably durable, but I _think_ if I focus everything I have left into one shot, I can at least take out that damaged leg and cripple its mobility." Hayate agreed.

 _That was my plan!_ Rein protested. _Meister, you shouldn't steal my brilliant schemes without asking!_

 _I had more left to focus when you came up with it. Now that I've burned off some of that energy, we can probably pull it off without killing ourselves._ Hayate countered.

… … _Touché._

"With its targeting systems damaged, that should be enough. With both of those out of the way I should be able to get in close enough to find a flaw in its armor." Signum said.

"That sounds reasonable, although are you sure you shouldn't go to support Zafira?"

"Zafira is a Wolkenritter. He can take care of himself." Signum said confidently.

* * *

 

Zafira stood up shakily in the crater he'd made when he slammed into the ground at just barely subsonic speed.

He probably would have said 'ouch' or something to that effect, but the boy with the axe was following him, and he found this to be tremendous motivation to shake off his disorientation and get _out_ of there, even as the blade struck where he had been lying and tore a new crater in the increasingly pockmarked world of Dysval.

It wasn't much of an opening, but Zafira chose to take advantage of it anyway. He threw back his head and howled, focusing his power. The ground beneath his feet cracked as silver spears burst out of it, surrounding the boy as he tried to pull his weapon free.

Susanoo rolled his eyes. "Tsukuyomi lost to _this?_ " He said dismissively. He then proceeded to finish ripping his axe out of the ground and destroy most of Zafira's attack with a single swing, trailing lightning through the shattered wreck of the spell.

This, Zafira supposed, was the problem with being himself. His fairly intimidating appearance often blinded people to the fact that, among the Wolkenritter, only Shamal was less powerful offensively. He was a Guardian Beast, designed to act in a support role to Vita and Signum, not really fight alone. He _could_ fight independently, of course, but it wasn't really his strong point. The girl, Tsukuyomi, had already been tired and he'd managed to catch her off her guard; realistically, had they fought when she were at full power, he believed the best he could have managed would be to fight her to a standstill. He did better staying at mid-range and sticking to barriers and binding spells while the close-combat knights engaged the enemy.

Consequently, he was now beginning to have difficulties. And to make matters worse, he was beginning to think that Tsukuyomi, who had been holding a glowing hand over her damaged ribs ever since she'd been freed, was getting ready to enter the battle again.

The blue-haired boy pulled free of the last flickering remnants of Zafira's binding spell, and began another charge. The Wolkenritter bared his fangs, preparing to meet the attack… and found himself suddenly without the need to as Susanoo abruptly broke off his assault and flew backwards at top speed. The reason for this became apparent a second later as the ground between the two combatants froze over, a wave of frozen air shooting between them. Even though he managed to dodge the majority of it, Susanoo looked in dismay as glittering ice covered his weapon and crept up the arm he held it in as well.

Chrono landed next to Zafira, his staff in hand. "You all right?" the young officer asked.

"… I'm Fine. Why are you here?"

Chrono raised one eyebrow. "You looked like some assistance was in order."

"It's not that I don't appreciate your aid, I would just have preferred you stay with Shamal. She can handle herself, but with wounded to look after…"

"The TSAB is not incompetent, you know. Amy managed to get a clear signal and withdraw Shamal and the wounded to the _Asura_ a little over a minute ago. Now all that remains… is to deal with this."

Zafira nodded once in response. "In that event, another sword could be useful after all. Welcome back to the battle."

"Do you think that will help?" Susanoo asked bluntly. "This spell… it really isn't that bad." His weapon began to glow within the ice cage, and in a burst of blue light, the crystal shattered and fell from his arm. "You seem to have gotten patched up, but your low-end spells don't have the bite to deal with me, Captain, and I _never_ fall for the same trick twice."

Chrono raised his staff in challenge. "We'll just have to see, won't we?"

"No," Tsukuyomi said, floating into position next to her brother. "We won't."

 _Are you up to this? You were looking a little low on stamina even before you took that wound. You okay?_ Susanoo asked her silently. _If you're in trouble, I can handle them both myself._

 _I'm… I have been better. But even if I help you, we've both been at this for a long time. Even at best estimate, the Colossus only has about ten minutes of power left. In the worst-case scenario, it might run out any second now. We have to finish this quickly, or we'll lose our artillery support and-_ Midway through her telepathic sending, however, the gem on her staff began to glow and said, " **Search complete, coordinates locked. Primary mission objective acquired."**

 _Oh. Never mind, ten minutes will be sufficient._ She thought in satisfaction.

"Attention, unit! This is General Tsukuyomi of the royal guard, authorization code 000139281. Rescind Ms. Testarossa's access grant and slave targeting systems to my commands. Recalibrate for full-power, lock main cannon on target. Acquire a firing solution for the coordinates my device transmits to you." Tsukuyomi said.

Over the machine in question, Hayate gathered her power, the last bits of her stored energy vanishing into the newly-made spell. "All right, Signum! I'm going to cripple it, get ready to move in for… what the…?!" She asked, the war-mech's main cannon not only charging, but rotating to aim _away_ from Hayate. She'd been expecting and preparing for a counterstrike, but it wasn't even pointed in her general direction.

To her credit, it took her not even a second of contemplation to realize this was most likely _not a good thing_.

"Fire, mistress!" Signum shouted, but it wasn't really necessary. Before the last syllable even cleared her lips, Hayate had already released her attack. The bolts struck, dead on, sending the machine crashing down. Its damaged leg was torn off, and the machine fell, unable to ever rise again.

And then, since the loss of a leg in no way affected its main cannons, and since its targeting was being done for it by Tsukuyomi's device, it just fired anyway.

"… … … oops?" Hayate said.

Obediently following Suijin's target data, the white blast flew towards the horizon, far beyond the scope of the battle thus far, illuminating the plains where it passed. Then, just when it seemed that it might very well simply pass completely out of sight, it exploded, so far away that the explosion was little more than a pale glow in the distance.

A _green_ glow.

Chrono had two thoughts, just then.

One was that Tsukuyomi had, in this battle, run low on energy more quickly and made more mistakes than someone who could fight on Nanoha's level should have… a discrepancy in her skills that could be explained by the fact that she had been simultaneously been running a complex search magic the entire battle. It annoyed him to come to the realization that he hadn't anticipated this, given that, as far as strategies went, it was _absolutely_ something he would have done himself. _In the future, I'll have to remember not to believe my own hype. Just because something is hard doesn't mean I'm the only one skilled enough to pull it off._

The second thought was that _believing_ Tsukuyomi when she'd implied there was no Gate on this world had been _deeply_ stupid on the part of everyone who had done it.

* * *

 

Nanoha took careful aim. The distance was considerable, but not so great that she needed Buster Form; she could stick with Excelion and its superior firepower, which was convenient. But either way, the first step was to get Vita away from the target.

 _Vita! I have a target lock, so see if you can get away from her, even for a second or two._ Nanoha sent.

**_Hey!_ ** _What part of 'keep your head down' do you not comprehend?! I-_

_I already have a lock, so you might as well just accept my help and move out of the way!_ Nanoha said.

 _Fine! But if you die you'll never hear the end of it!_ Vita snapped. "Eisen! Mode shift!"

 **"Raketenform!** " The weapon said obediently, instantly dropping a fair amount of mass, growing a golden spike on one end and… more to the point… a rocket engine on the other.

The sudden difference in pressure against her weapon made Amaterasu over-extend herself, her continuing push against Vita now sending the smaller girl backwards. Vita then made this new distance greater when she utilized Raketenform for… well, in her mind, the most _humiliating_ use it could possibly be put to. Really, using the rocket _backwards_ to aid in a _retreat_? It was just running away, no matter how she tried to paint it. The whole strategy was just really, really _lame,_ if you asked her, and under normal circumstances she would have never even considered using it. Still, if Takamachi really just refused to stay down, then the stubborn brat _would_ shoot, and she _would_ do it the second she thought she had a clear target. In that case, it was probably best to actually _give_ her such a target and not risk getting 'Bustered' by accident.

Vita watched as the wave of pink light swept through the space she had just vacated before detonating brilliantly.

The space she had _just_ vacated.

 _Takamachi…_ She thought. Calmly. Quietly.

_Yes, Vita?_

**_You fired while I was still in the danger zone!_** Vita psychically roared.

_Gah!_

_Don't you 'gah' me! You could have killed me there, you idiot!_

_N-no! I wouldn't… for starters, I would never use a spell that **could** kill anybody, so..._

_Don't give me that! There is **no way** that blast could have charged and hit so quickly unless you fired it **before** I was completely out of the way!_

_I… well, I guess you couldsay that I was certainly charged and ready to fire while you were still in the way, but I definitely didn't actually release the blast until I was absolutely certain you were going to clear the target zone in time!_

_'Absolutely certain you **were going** ' to clear it? _Vita asked in a very dangerous tone of thought.

 _I mean until I was certain you **had cleared** it! Really! _Nanoha thought in a panic.

_You know, I always thought you had it out for me, deep down. Sure, you acted all friendly, but I always suspected that you never quite forgave me for the first time we met. Now I know for sure._

_N-no! I don't, really! I forgave you for that a long time ago, I swear!_

_Actions speak louder than words, and your actions say you're trying to kill me!_

_It was a **non-lethal spell**! _Nanoha repeated insistently.

_So you **were** trying to hit me!_

_What?! How do those two things add together?! I really wouldn't… uh-oh._

_What do you mean uh… oh, come **on.** You gotta be kidding. _Vita thought in some combination of surprise and irritation.

Amaterasu slashed her spear through the air sharply once, seemingly just to clear the smoke. The portions of her of her new armor that covered her right arm and shoulder had been shattered, revealing the tattered barrier jacket beneath it, but beyond that…

 _How did she dodge that? I had a perfect lock!_ Nanoha complained.

 _She's worse than a cockroach, that's how._ Vita thought bluntly.

"It's been awhile since I've been challenged like this, really." Amaterasu said. "Little brother called it refreshing. I'm new to your language, so tell me, is that a synonym for 'incredibly annoying'?"

 _Takamachi. Get back, I've got this._ Vita thought.

 _Let's do this! I'm behind you all the way!_ Nanoha thought at the exact same second.

The mental silence was deafening.

 _No, you're **not**! Thanks for helping out, but that's all I need from you, so you can- _Vita began.

_I am **not** just leaving you here alone, this woman is really powerful! I'd never forgive myself if-_

"Oh… never mind." Amaterasu said, tilting her head to one side.

"Eh?" The other two girls said in unison.

"It seems that those kids have finally managed to make a little progress. I can do more good elsewhere, so I'm going to leave you ladies for now."

"And what makes you think we'll just let you go?!" Vita snapped.

Amaterasu considered this. "Well, you don't really have a choice. We shouldn't waste their energy, but I don't think one jump will really hurt anything, so… Gate control, I'm exercising my administrative access. If you could please send me to my siblings? My weapon has the exact coordinates." She said. A second later, she vanished in a flash of green light.

Vita's eyes widened as she looked at the suddenly empty air. "W-what?! There's no way she could set up a dimensional transfer so quickly!"

"She used the Gate! From what Yuuno said, it could do something like that easily!" Nanoha realized. "We need to get to the others, fast!"

"Dammit… I'm gonna start setting up the teleport! No matter how much interference is in the atmosphere, nothing can keep the Wolkenritter away from our master for very long! Tell your ship that I'll have a viable teleport lock they can use in sixty… make that _thirty_ seconds!"

Thirty seconds. Certainly not enough time for things to go horribly wrong.

* * *

 

The first hint that Hayate got that something had gone horribly wrong was when Chrono's voice roared through her mind, **_Do not let them or anything they have touched reach that light!_**

The second was when she went flying through the air.

She was not sure exactly why, at first; she felt a pressure as a blur crashed into her and sent her flying, then heard something cut through the air and impacted against something else with a metallic screech and a dull thud… metal against metal and then, briefly, metal against flesh.

When she managed to right herself, she found Signum floating somewhat unsteadily between her and a new arrival, a red-armored woman with a spear device. Signum's already broken arm had gone from being held somewhat gingerly against her body to hanging limply at her side, blood flowing down it.

"Nicely done. I thought I'd manage an easy surprise attack considering how sudden my appearance was..." The woman said calmly.

Signum shifted to place her body and sword both between the new enemy and her mangled arm and said, "I'm not such an amateur that I'd miss someone like you. You can hide your magic well, but such an intense killing intent is like a beacon to a warrior's instincts."

Amaterasu sighed in annoyance. "Ah. So it was my own fault then… I suppose that's just what I get for letting my temper get the best of me. I was hoping to kill that winged girl and then get in at least one shot at you before my presence was detected, but I couldn't really manage either."

"Watch your words. I already have little reason to take you alive." Signum said, visibly bristling at the woman casually referencing plans to kill Hayate.

"Oh, my… ordinarily, I'd be annoyed by someone staring at me with eyes so obviously full of malice, but on you it's just charming. Particularly considering that your wounds are slowing you down much, much more than you're admitting." Amaterasu said. Signum did not react to this taunt visibly, but Amaterasu smiled as if she had. "You thought I wouldn't notice? Any warrior talented enough to detect my attack on pure instinct should have blocked that attack, but you couldn't quite pull it off, could you? The fact you can act so fierce when you're in such bad shape is just so cute! It's like a kitten is baring her fangs at me."

"A _kitten?!_ " Signum hissed... and then realized, when the woman's eyes glittered with laughter, that she had just made the cat comparison _more_ apt. She didn't blush from embarrassment. Really.

Fortunately for the totally-not-blushing Signum, Amaterasu was distracted just then by a voice in her head. _Tsuku and I are engaged over here, and we're not sure what happened to Miss Precia. We're going to try to make a break for the Gate in a second; can you keep those two off our backs while we get these two off our fronts?_ Susanoo asked.

 _Not a problem._ Amaterasu replied. As soon as the thought left her mind, however, two white circles appeared in the air, and within them materialized the girls she'd been dealing with less than a minute previously. _Unless, of course, the kids from the other site somehow manage to follow me here more quickly than I anticipated._

 _All right, I'm going to come right out and say it… we are outmatched, and I'm willing to bet they could dig up more reinforcements if they really tried. If we fight this out, I'm seeing TSAB prison cells in our future._ Susanoo said, although he sounded as though merely thinking the words caused him physical pain. _Suggestions, ladies?_

 _I might have a plan, if big sister can get all eyes focused on her for a few seconds._ Tsukuyomi chimed in.

Amaterasu gave a decidedly unpleasant smile. _As it so happens, attracting attention is my specialty._

 _Ugh. When you say that, it sounds really bad for some reason..._ Susanoo thought.

 _Now really isn't the time, big brother._ Tsukuyomi interjected. _As for you, hold still. I need to get ready, so wait for big sister's distraction..._

She leveled her weapon at the new arrivals… more particularly at Nanoha, who she was really, really sick of on a lot of levels. Her weapon and armor began to glow brilliantly, the mechanisms thrumming with power and waves of heat and light running off her and sending her hair whipping wildly. _Watch your own backs, kids… this one can get a bit messy!_

 **"Fire Dragon…** " her device began. Signum, recognizing the fairly obvious signs that something was up, lunged, Laevateinn leading the way… and encountered a rather unfortunate problem for anyone attempting to attack an armored opponent with one hand.

The woman did not cease her attack charge, but removed one hand from her spear to raise her gauntlet into the sword's path. The flames limning the blade hissed as the weapon cut, and Signum felt it pierce the armor and encounter flesh… but it did not penetrate quite far enough.

"You have a lot of nerve using fire against me, but I'll forgive you this time. It's hard to stay mad at such a striking knight." Amaterasu said, not visibly bothered by the blade embedded in her forearm. "Now, if you'll excuse me?"

"No!" Signum protested, trying to pull her blade out for a second swing, before…

" **… Roar!"** Kagutsuchi said.

The column of flame that resulted would not have looked out of place in the mythologies of any number of worlds, albeit most of them would have placed it as descending from the heavens rather than from the tip of a blue-haired woman's spear. Fortunately, Nanoha was not terribly unused to having large, horrible things coming directly at her face. She raised her own weapon; she could have a decent buster charged before that attack hit, and even if that didn't stop it, it should weaken it enough for shields from Vita or herself to deal with the situation admirably.

Amaterasu smirked and, even as she brought her weapon into line to block Signum's continued attacks, said, " _Now_."

" **Spark Rain: Nova Formation.** " Her device said obediently.

Nanoha's composure at seeing a monstrous cannon spell rushing towards her was _somewhat_ shaken by the sight of that self-same spell violently exploding long before it reached her. And she was downright _panicked_ by the realization that it wasn't actually detonating… it was _splitting,_ breaking down into a cloud of small blasts that rained over the battlefield seemingly at random, forcing even those who hadn't been anywhere near the initial blast to strengthen their defenses or dodge for dear life. Still, each individual bullet was nothing any decent mage couldn't have handled, and they were spread too far apart to really do any serious damage. The problem should have been fairly easy to deal with, all told.

And it would have been, except the real point of the spell had always been to make a lot of light and noise that would draw all eyes away from Tsukuyomi, even for a few seconds. Chrono learned this to his great dismay when he turned his eyes back to her to find one of the small Drive units floating over her palm. And another near her face. And another hovering in the area around her knees.

And a couple hundred more of them, a vast cloud of illusionary duplicates scattered around her.

"… oh, Hell." Chrono said.

"Command, Execute." Tsukuyomi said softly, and the wave of false reflections, the true gem hidden among them, glowed brilliantly and shot towards the barely-visible bubble of green light on the horizon.

Nanoha, seeing this problem, chose to deal with it in the way she usually dealt with such things. Or at least the way she dealt with such things when she already had a significant amount of power stored in Raising Heart that would otherwise go to waste.

"Excelion Buster, Force Burst!" She shouted. The attack went off, splitting as it did into individual 'arms' which whipped through the skies before detonating brilliantly. A great many of the gems winked out of existence at the slightest touch of the pink light; just as she'd thought, the only way that Tsukuyomi could create so many was to give none of them anything approaching physical presence. But when the light cleared, she saw to her dismay that not only were still too many to count, but the remaining illusions had spread themselves out far more to make targeting more difficult.

 _Rein?_ Hayate thought. _What have we got left?_

 _Not much._ Rein admitted. _I don't think we could get all of those…_

_Can we get **some** of them? _

_Definitely!_ Rein said, warming up to the idea as she thought. _They have to travel so far, we can definitely get at least one spell off! We might get lucky and hit the real one, you never know!_

 _All right then!_ Hayate said. She was all out of stored power, but if Rein was helping then she was certain she could still manage to bring out a little bit more from within herself. This spell would be on the slow side, but the gems still had such a long way to travel that she _should_ be able to target a significant chunk of them before they reached their destination. She leveled her staff towards her targets, and began to reach down and draw out whatever power she still had. Energy flowed through her as she prepared to begin her incantation, making her hair stand on end as sparks of violet electricity snapped through the air around…

Wait.

Violet electricity?

 ** _Rein!_** _New plan! Shield, the best shield we can put up!_ Hayate thought. It wasn't a matter of countering it this time; even if she still had the power to do so, she was already trapped in the attack. Defense was the only option, and unfortunately it wasn't even a good one when she stopped to think about it.

 _But we're not good at shields!_ Rein pointed out. She wasn't wrong.

 _Well we have about two seconds to **get** good! Overdraw my linker core if you have to, I'd rather spend a month sick in bed than die! _Hayate snapped. The purple lightning was starting to get more intense, growing from tiny sparks dancing between her hair to coherent bolts and oh _man_ this was going to be close…

Fortunately, Hayate and Reinforce _did_ manage to get a shield in place before the positively gargantuan bolt of electric death struck them. Unfortunately, it wasn't a very good one. It probably kept her from dying, but… as far she could tell, that was just about _all_ it did.

Hayate _tried_ to scream as the storm of energy tore through the flickering silver bubble she'd raised around herself, but found that she simply couldn't. A sensation not unlike someone taking a blowtorch to each and every one of her nerve endings ripped through her body. The actual pain itself was mercifully brief, but largely because she felt a numbness settling into her whole body fairly quickly. That was probably bad.

**_Meister!_ ** _Meister, you need to focus! I don't know if I can hold the unison if you lose consciousness, and our wings are damaged!_

_I'm… I'm okay._ Hayate returned somewhat weakly. The wings were mostly for show, so as long as she could stay conscious she probably wouldn't actually fall. It took some effort, particularly when the blessed numbness turned back into soul-crushing pain after a few seconds.

It was astonishing, really. She had thought that the last time she'd seen Precia Testarossa, _that_ had been the angriest the woman could possibly be. But now the woman was lined from head to toe in light, her eyes were literally _glowing._ This, combined with her tattered dress and hair whipping around her like tentacles, made the woman look more like a demon than any sort of human being. It was as though she was inventing new _levels_ of unthinking fury as the fight went on.

"Did. You. Think. It. Was. _Over?_ Did. You. Think. You'd. _Won?!_ " Precia snarled.

Hayate; wounded, out of energy, and facing down a foe she'd have probably had trouble with if she'd been at her absolute best, asked herself a very serious question: _What would Vita do?_

Smiling through the pain, she said, "A little bit, yes."

 _Please stop taunting the murderous evil mage when I'm sharing your body!_ Reinforce thought.

As she watched the older woman raise her hand and saw the sky go dark, Hayate's reply was, _In the future, I may refrain from taunting her when **I** am sharing my body. _

* * *

 

The reactions to Hayate's plight were varied.

Signum instantly turned to go to her proper place; between her master and danger. She'd taken two bullets for Hayate today, a third was fine by her. She was interrupted in this action by the red armored knight who danced in front of her, her spear swinging up in a graceful arc and forcing Signum back.

"Sorry, but I'm not the sort who lets a classy lady like you out of my sight." Amaterasu said.

Signum gritted her teeth and readied her blade. "I don't have time for you…!"

"You'll have to make it." Amaterasu replied calmly. "If it makes you feel better, it looks like at least one more knight feels much the same way you do, so your friend there won't be all by herself for much longer."

Nanoha gazed at the figure who had launched the surprise attack on Hayate while her own attention had been elsewhere in wide-eyed astonishment. The woman in question looked somewhat the worse for wear, but… but…

"That… that woman, is-! But that's _impossible_ , she's…" Nanoha began.

" ** _Dead_**." Vita growled.

The rocket engine on the back of Graf Eisen exploded into flame as Vita hurled herself headlong into the fray, her weapon poised to crush the woman who'd harmed her mistress into jelly.

Nanoha, meanwhile, took a second to consider the situation. Personally, she felt bad for Fate. Her friend had really only just managed to get over much of what Precia had done to her, and those scars were still quite sensitive. Professionally, she felt _annoyed_. The Jewel Seed crisis had been her first case, and she'd considered it closed. To have it _un-solve_ itself with the reemergence of the primary offender left her more than slightly irritated.

And of course, there was the fact that, when it came to Precia Testarossa, her opinions were closer to Arf's than Fate's. She _did not like_ that woman. She did not like her at _all._

"Raising Heart, load the Accel Charger." She commanded. Her device obediently loaded two cartridges and replied with a confident, " **ACS mode, initialized. Strike Flame."** Without another moment's hesitation, she joined Vita in her charge, the newly appeared energy blade leading the charge to pierce the inevitable shields.

They covered roughly half the distance before Precia gestured sharply with one hand and the skies opened, a pillar of lightning slamming down between herself and Vita. The shock from the thunder alone was enough to make anyone in the sky need to at least brace themselves; for Vita and Nanoha, the targets, the effect was considerably worse.

 _Holy crap…_ Vita thought, momentarily shocked out of her anger. _Who is **this** lady?! No way should she have been able to… do whatever the hell that was, not so **fast!**_

 _I heard she knocked out a warship by herself once._ Nanoha replied. _Though I didn't see it personally._

… … … _okay, this might be a little harder than I thought._ Vita admitted.

 _Look on the bright side. At least we got her attention on us instead of Hayate._ Nanoha thought. Although considering Precia's expression as she apparently recognized Nanoha (and did not appear to like what she saw), she wasn't certain that was a good thing.

 _Hey, why do I need to 'look on the bright side'? I didn't say that I was **worried**. _Vita thought indignantly. _She hurt Hayate. I don't care how powerful she is, I'm breaking her._

Nanoha smiled at that.

* * *

 

Chrono considered his options.

The Drive unit was quick, but not impossibly so, and its target was distant. He'd estimate they had at least a few minutes before impact. He could catch the real one in that time… if he knew which one it was. Nanoha had helped by eliminating a lot of the choices, but there were still enough that he couldn't trust his ability to get the right one for as long as Tsukuyomi was maintaining her illusions.

As long as.

 _I can defeat her. I can get the gem in time. I cannot do both._ He reasoned. "You, Wolken… Zafira!" He said, remembering the familiar's name at the last second. Ah well, at least he'd remembered to not actually _call_ Zafira a 'familiar'. "Go and get the gem! I'll have the illusions dealt with by the time you catch up to it!"

The wolf cast him an expression that suggested he did _not_ approve of being ordered around by anyone who wasn't Hayate or at _least_ Signum. Chrono sent him a return glance that suggested he didn't care and that Zafira should do as he was told. Fortunately, Zafira was a professional, so Chrono's glance won out after a second or two.

After the guardian beast had taken off, Chrono turned to Tsukuyomi and leveled his staff.

"You really believe you can defeat me in time? You only have a minute or two…"

"Actually, I probably could," Chrono said, and he meant it. If running a search magic had impacted her performance negatively, running a major illusion like that would leave her barely able to fight back. "But I don't have to."

"… … … … wait, what?" Tsukuyomi replied, blinking in confusion.

"Remember earlier, when I said that Shamal and the wounded had been withdrawn? You had no way of knowing who 'Shamal' was, but three unconscious people certainly gave you a tempting target. Wouldn't it have made more sense for me to let you keep thinking they were there? I could have shared that report easily by telepathy and never let you hear it. So why didn't I?"

She didn't even need to answer, because it was obvious. In a combat situation, there was only one thing more dangerous than having _no_ information, and that was having the _wrong_ information. Most likely the wounded actually had been evacuated, but…

Tsukuyomi's eyes widened as the bind, cast from outside her field of vision by Shamal, who had been waiting for Chrono's signal for some time now, snapped into existence around her, restricting instantly to pin her arms against her sides. Observing the situation from Klarer Wind's scrying circle from the maximum possible spell range, Shamal thought, _I have her, Mr. Harlaown._

Chrono nodded in satisfaction. Deep down in his heart, there was still some portion of him that had a difficult time really _liking_ the Wolkenritter, but even that part would admit that they were damn effective. He raised his own device and said, "Struggle Bind," placing a second layer of containment on top of the trapped girl. As the anti-magic binding eliminated Tsukuyomi's active spells, Chrono sent to Zafira the thought, _Keep watch… whichever one disappears last is the target._ Once again, the guardian beast gave no verbal response, but he _did_ return to his human form so he would actually have hands to catch the target in question. Chrono chose to take that as an affirmative.

Tsukuyomi struggled against her bindings briefly, before recognizing the futility. "Impressive. You are an intelligent young man. Intelligent enough that I'm surprised you missed it..."

This, Chrono supposed, was the moment when 'you have the right to remain silent' should have been his response to anything she said. But her continued calmness, even moreso than usual was beginning to unnerve him. So instead he said "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Didn't Nanoha Takamachi tell you? I'm not a very good liar. She made certain to point this out to me. So I made very sure to only tell you the truth, when you asked me to hand over the Drive unit. I didn't say, 'there is no Gate on this world' or 'we don't have a unit to give you'. I just said 'I don't have one', because I really didn't. In fact, I haven't even _touched_ this particular unit since before we arrived on this world."

Chrono considered this. Then he considered that, ever since the most recent huge explosion and the trick with the illusionary gems, someone who was usually very, very loud hadn't been making any noise at all. _Where… where's the third one?!_ He thought frantically, scanning the skies and seeing the most horrifying thing he could imagine right that second: nothing.

The 'distraction' had been deeper than he'd thought.

Zafira closed in on the last gem in the sky… and froze. There was a scent in the air, but it was still very distant. He hadn't been expecting the device to have a strong scent, and wasn't relying on his nose as a result, but the small jewel in front of him had _no_ scent, just like all the others. He closed his hand around it, just to be safe, and felt empty air as it vanished at his touch. _Then the real one is still ahead? I don't see anything and the scent is hard to follow at this speed, but there's definitely something…_

And far ahead of him, something that had been travelling much faster than the cloud of illusions shimmered into view as one final illusion fell. It fell last because after Tsukuyomi had been caught, another source of magical energy had taken over maintaining it, even if it wasn't stable enough to hold it for more than a few extra seconds.

Susanoo smiled as he rocketed towards the Gate, a green gemstone glimmering in his palm. "Dimension Driver serial #04, target locked, program confirmed! Command execute!" He said, rearing back and throwing the gem like a fastball.

In the Twilight Palace, Enlil lied on the floor in exhaustion, marshalling her strength for when her assault force was prepared to withdraw.

Yggdrasil, who had taken on the responsibility of monitoring the search programs probing the outside dimensions, said " **Primary objectives have been cleared, your majesty."**

And for the first time in a long time, the Twilight Queen laughed in true delight.


	17. Clearing the Board

The light on the horizon cast an almost tangible hush over the battlefield, as though nobody was completely certain what to do now.

It was Chrono who finally broke the silence, metaphorically at least. _As far as I'm concerned, absolutely nothing has changed. A machine is only dangerous with someone telling it what to do. Proceed with the arrest._

Upon noticing that no black hole had opened in the sky and the TSAB mages did not appear to be preparing to withdraw, Susanoo took the initiative. _All right. I'll go try to break those bindings on Tsuku. If Miss Precia provides artillery support, we should be able to get out of here quickly enough, so let Lil know that we're ready to withdraw, and…_ Susanoo began.

Precia did not even respond, simply breaking the link and turning her back on him. Okay, that wasn't encouraging, but he hadn't really been talking to or terribly concerned with her anyway. That wasn't so bad.

 _We're not leaving_. Amaterasu said in his mind.

Okay, that was bad.

 _What?!_ He asked, because he couldn't think of anything better to ask.

 _The Gates were our **primary** objective. The removal of major threats, however, is also important. So we're going to remove some. _Amaterasu thought bluntly.

 _Isn't that a big risk? We might have an advantage, but it isn't much of one. And even if we win, there's no guarantee we could do it quickly enough to get Tsuku back before they extract her._ Susanoo thought. _Besides, since when do you care about secondary objectives? We got what really mattered._

_Didn't I already tell you that I'm expecting better from you? Your tendency to goof around was tolerable when we had basically unlimited resources to back us up, but success or failure is solely on us now. We need to take this seriously._

_… And you really expect me to believe you haven't hit on **anybody** since we started this? _He replied dryly.

 _No, of course not._ She thought. After all, suggesting a potential wardrobe upgrade didn't count as flirting. And she'd made a serious effort to kill the girl, in spite of the fact that she would just look _adorable_ in something a little more form-fitting, and maybe a nice… no, now wasn't the time. _Now do your duty._ She thought finally, and cut the link.

Susanoo sighed in deep-rooted annoyance. Tactically speaking, Amaterasu probably wasn't wrong that taking out this unit would be a good idea in the long run, and it _was_ an objective, albeit one of secondary concern. It was just… things might have been leaning in their favor right this second, but it was still anybody's fight, and unlike them, the enemy could both send for reinforcements _and_ afford to lose soldiers. Plus, they had Tsukuyomi. The concept of leaving her in harm's way was nothing he could ever possibly get behind. She was so _small._

And on a slightly less relevant note, he didn't really want Ammy to kill Signum before he got to give her a fair rematch. He owed her one after the way their duel had ended.

The problem, then, was that Ammy was in charge of the mission, and she was the one with the authority to request Lil pull them out. She was also pretty clearly in one of her worse moods, and generally impossible to talk to once she made up her mind about something. As for Miss Precia, he was starting to wonder if she might be legitimately mentally unstable. A poor temper, that he could understand, but that woman was taking this battle _far_ too personally. War was complicated enough when it was just business. Getting hatred involved just muddled everything up.

It was about then that Zafira chose to snap him out of his reverie with a fist to the face.

Caught utterly off-guard, he was sent flying backwards and barely managed to right himself in time to catch the following strike on the flat of his blade, ignoring the stream of blood that was now flowing from his (possibly broken, but at least very bent) nose. _Dammit, he's faster than he was before...!_ He thought in annoyance. Out loud, he said "Idiot, you're just making things worse! I'm trying to think here!"

Zafira's reply was little more than a feral snarl, the silver light around his fist growing suddenly brighter as he pushed more power into his follow-through, slamming Susanoo back for the second time in under a minute.

"Dammit… _fine!_ I'm not about to start backing down from a challenge now!" Susanoo snapped.

"Are you certain you want to do that? Because I can't help but notice you're beginning to feel the strain." Zafira asked. There was no hint of mockery or anything similar in his tone, just a simple question… but it still managed to get across the thought that he had noticed something that Susanoo had not.

Susanoo's eyes widened as he considered this seemingly out-of-place comment and considered what the implications. _The strain? I assumed he'd been hiding his power before and was starting to fight more seriously now, but… am I thinking about this the wrong way? Invisibility is an advanced illusion, and I don't have any talent for that sort of thing. I only had to maintain Tsuku's casting for a little bit, but I've been pressing my limits for awhile now…_ He thought. _His speed and strength haven't gone up at all. I've hit the wall and started to get slower and weaker._

_Am I going to be able to win?_

It wasn't that he was afraid of losing… really, his first instinct was to congratulate Zafira. But on the other hand, the situation was already bad enough. Saving Tsuku would be hard enough without having to somehow rescue himself…

 _Heeeey, Tsuku! She's smart and it's not like that binding stops her brain from working!_ He thought. Emboldened by this realization, he shifted to telepathy and thought, _Hey, little sis, can you hear me? I need to ask you something…_

* * *

 

Tsukuyomi, bound head to foot in glowing chains and suspended in a pyramid of green light, said, "May I please be allowed to go free now?"

"I'm afraid not." Shamal said. Chrono had left the girl in her care while he went to help in the larger engagement, and she wasn't exactly sure what to do with her. She layered on a new binding every few seconds, but beyond that, she was really more focused on healing Hayate than dealing with her prisoner. Her young master was likewise floating serenely in green light beside her, but in her case she was slipping in and out of consciousness, and the light in question was a gentle healing magic that was slowly but surely repairing the wounds she'd suffered.

"Are you certain?" Tsukuyomi continued.

"Quite certain, yes."

"If you let me go free, I shall give you a small gift. Would you like a stuffed animal? I believe I could acquire one."

"That's very thoughtful of you, but I won't be letting you go." Shamal said.

"You could give it to that girl. She would like it." Tsukuyomi said, gesturing with her head (the only part of her she could move) at Hayate.

"She probably would. But I still can't release you, I'm afraid."

"That is unfortunate." Tsukuyomi said. "Perhaps some kind of candy, instead?"

"The problem was not the nature of the gift so much as the fact that the idea of letting you go at all is unacceptable." Shamal said delicately.

"Oh." Tsukuyomi replied. "You are _certain_?"

"Again, quite certain."

"Oh." Tsukuyomi said again. Apparently, she decided there wasn't much else to say, because she fell silent at that point.

On the outside.

 _Yes, I can hear you. What's wrong?_ She asked Susanoo.

_Look, I'm trying to convince Ammy to focus on freeing you and withdrawing, but she isn't inclined to agree._

_She is correct. We have an opportunity to cripple the investigation team handling our case. Staying to finish them is the proper course of action._

_You do realize that even if we win, they'll probably still keep you, right?_

_I am expendable._

_What?! No you're…_

_There is only one more Drive unit that needs to be used. If we can disable this group of mages, then it isn't likely a similar team can be mobilized in time to stop our next incursion. Therefore, I will not be needed for that mission. On the other hand, if you save me at the cost of letting them go, they will most likely engage us as a single unit in the next encounter, and the odds of us triumphing are slim to none. In this instance, her majesty's orders come before my safety. I am expendable._

_Tsuku! I… even if you do have sort of a point, I won't accept…_ Susanoo's mental voice fell silent, and in the distance she saw a line of silver light slam into a line of blue light. The latter went briefly out of control, like a firefly that suddenly lost one wing. _Sorry… didn't dodge quite fast enough._ He thought, his thoughts tinged with obvious discomfort.

_You are being defeated?_

_Well, I'm just kind of running low on stamina… between that and my wounds it's getting harder to keep up with this guy. I can't reliably break his shields anymore, so I'm having some trouble. I wouldn't say a victory is impossible, but it's… well, it could be going better._

_Ah._ She considered this for a moment. _In that case, I may have an idea. I'll need your command codes, and I'll need you to get me out of these binds, but if you can get me those two things I think I can do what you're asking._

_Well, you already know all my access codes, so you officially have my permission to use them. I can put it in writing later if you need. But the second part won't be easy._

_I'm not too far away from you._

_No, but there's a rather large animal-person who's expressed an interest in caving my head in._ Susanoo thought glumly. _But since my baby sis asked, I'll try my very best! Oh, and… um… on that subject, why the change of heart?_

 _Just because I am expendable to me doesn't mean you are._ She replied, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

 _… Awwwwwwww! Y-you're gonna make me cry if you talk like OW!_ He thought as Zafira took advantage of his continued distraction to kick him in the head.

_Idiot._

* * *

 

Signum winced as the spear slipped past her guard and traced a red-hot line along her shoulder. _This would be easier with two hands…_ She thought. Fighting a spear with a longsword was already difficult in a number of ways; doing so with only one reliable arm was worse. And just to make matters even more unpleasant, this one was a more talented than the one she'd been dealing with… comparable raw power, but more focused, more controlled, and a good deal more serious. Even if she were at her best, she wouldn't have called victory guaranteed, and right now she wasn't at her best.

And it seemed her opponent agreed with her assessment, unfortunately. "You kids are a real annoyance, you know that? Even now, if you focused all of your energy on defense and retreat, I'd wager that most of you could manage to get away with your lives. But you just keep fighting, even when it should be obvious, even to you… _especially_ to you… that no victory lies before you." Amaterasu said. However, a second opinion quickly emerged that gave Signum a bit more confidence.

 _Ms. Signum. If you could please do what you can to obstruct her long-range countering abilities in… let's see, three seconds?_ A young masculine voice said in her mind.

Three seconds wasn't a great deal of time to prepare, but then she didn't need a great deal of time if all she needed to accomplish was basic disruption.

The darts of blue light came at Amaterasu from the worst possible angle… above and behind. Her sense for such things was better than a human's, but the back of the neck was still a blind spot. She detected the attack before impact, but not nearly as early as she should have. _Still,_ she thought as she swung her weapon, _Should be able to deflect most of **Oh Hells.**_

She found her train of thought violently derailed by the sudden shift of her failing opponent's sword into a segmented whip that wrapped around her own device and halted her attempted interception. _Hells, hells, hells…_ She managed to think, drawing in her limbs to protect her head and the sections of her armor that had been damaged before…

Impact.

She was still in flight when the deluge of light ended, but several new cracks were visibly marring her armor… and despite her best efforts to the contrary, two of the magical bolts had struck and embedded themselves in her unprotected arm. It was only magical damage, so there didn't seem to be any genuine wounds, but the limb had gone numb and heavy.

Amaterasu swung her arm, shattering the lodged energy spikes, and turned her eyes toward Chrono. _Weak, but skilled. He slipped right into my blind spot and charged that spell, and I didn't even notice until he'd already fired. And then there's **her…**_

"You actually managed to snare me there. I wouldn't have thought it possible with those wounds." Amaterasu said thoughtfully.

Signum's calm expression didn't change. "It was nothing special. You simply underestimated my resolve, that's all."

"You… are… so…" Amaterasu said, her voice growing softer with each word. Finally, after a short pause, she spouted, " _… Perfect!"_

"… eh?"

"I'm sorry! I'll apologize to Susa for my hypocrisy later, but it's just so hard to maintain a killing edge when I'm around you! A noble and elegant lady of war, fighting on despite overwhelming odds, pushing through pain I can barely imagine! And in spite of this, her beauty isn't diminished in the slightest… no, rather she shines all the more brilliantly as she overcomes the hardships in her path and lets her true spirit shine through! Usually I find tenacity annoying in my enemies, but you just make it look so _good_!" Amaterasu gushed. Her voice then dropped an octave and became considerably more frank as she added, "Oh, and that body? _Wow._ My compliments to whoever designed _you_. You are a construct, or a program, right? Don't worry, I am too, I wouldn't discriminate based on something so silly. I just ask because human women don't usually turn out so… let's be frank, _spectacular_."

"… … …" Signum fell silent, her eyes wide in the most sincere confusion she'd felt in a long, long time. She was _fairly_ certain she'd have noticed if the woman she was facing had been replaced with an entirely different person, and yet that was what appeared to have happened.

Amaterasu then turned her attention to Chrono, crooning "Oooh, and he's cute too… it's a shame he's just a child, he probably would have grown up to be quite a heart-breaker…"

" _Child_?! I'm fifteen!" Chrono protested.

"… Reeeeeeeally? And the legal age of consent in your culture is…?"

"W-w-w-what are you talking about?!" Chrono snapped, blushing furiously. "This is a warzone! Stop babbling about useless things!"

"Awww, he's shy! That just makes you cuter, you know…"

" _Stop that!"_

"Right, right, sorry…" She said. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, and when she opened them again, there was once again no visible emotion in them. "Business before pleasure, of course."

Chrono had never felt so relieved to be facing down a stone-cold killer.

* * *

 

The hammer collided uselessly against the strange shield, the spike on the end vainly attempting to punch through and being repulsed with almost insulting ease. The return fire, on the other hand, nearly wrenched the weapon from Vita's hands.

Well, calling it 'return fire' might have been a misnomer. The spell in question was more like a sea anemone made of energy, the tendrils emerging from an aura of light around Precia. It not only struck like a bolt, but actually attempted to wrap around Graf Eisen and literally rip it away from her. It might have actually succeeded if it weren't for the rain of pink light that crashed down on Precia, forcing her to draw her energy back in and focus it on defense.

Vita pulled back slightly and stopped. _You see that, Takamachi?_

 _You mean the way that attack spell projects from her shields?_ Nanoha asked tersely.

_Yeah. Pretty nasty, huh? She can attack, bind, and defend all with the same spell. At least she can only seem to do them one at a time though, or we'd really be screwed._

_Still, she can switch between them so quickly…_

_Yeah. I thought for sure we had her that time. I'm thinking we need to kill one of us._

_… eh?_ Nanoha replied. It seemed the logical thing to think.

_Well, fact of the matter is that it's looking like we can only penetrate her defenses in the exact **instant** she's attacking one of us. So one of us needs to get her focused enough that she makes a sustained attack on one of us, something she can't just cancel or withdraw. And… well… she hits like a truck. So if whoever does the distraction can dodge or counter, great, but if they can't…_

_Yeah._ Nanoha agreed solemnly. Then, in a shocking display of cosmic convergence, she and Vita had the exact same thought.

 _I'll do it._ They thought in unison. They then turned to glare at each other suspiciously and thought, _No, **I'll** do it, I won't let you risk yourself!_

 _"_ What are you waiting for? _"_ Precia Testarossa basically snarled at them. She had reached the point, really, where she was only vaguely coherent and seemed to be attacking anyone that got too close to her.

"Excuse me, but we're trying to talk here so could you _please_ show a little courtesy?" Nanoha said testily.

" ** _Shut up!_** " Vita snapped.

Precia blinked a few times in visible confusion, and, against all logic… shut up. There are some things that even the most intense of psychotic rages simply cannot stand up against, and this was apparently one of them.

 _I can take the hit better than you **.**_ Vita thought.

_I can counter a pure energy assault better than you._

_I'm less wounded than you are._

_I'm better at dodging._

_Are not!_

_Am so!_

_Well… my armor is better than yours!_

_I know more about facing lightning magic!_

_... ... ... Rock paper scissors!_ Vita finally said desperately.

Nanoha did not reply to this. She didn't really _need_ to.

 _Okay, yeah, that's dumb._ Vita acknowledged. _But I'm not giving up! I'll think of something else!_

 _All right. I didn't want to play this card, but you're not giving me a choice._ Nanoha thought. _It's… well, it's really sort of horrible, and I feel really bad about it, even with her, but I **know** that I can make her attack me. Just me, to the exclusion of everything else. Can you say the same? _

_You're sure?_ Vita thought doubtfully.

_I… yeah. There's only one thing she cares about, and if she had it, she wouldn't be here. So I can use it to get her to come after me._

_And you're not going to tell me what it is._ Vita thought. It was not a question.

_No._

_Even though you **know** I'll smack you for this later._

_Even though._ Nanoha confirmed.

 _Ugh. Fine! Have it your way. But if you die, I'll kill you!_ Vita growled.

 _Then try to make sure I don't die._ Nanoha agreed.

Vita took off, making an obvious move to flank Precia. The woman gathered her power, preparing for the blatantly noticeable assault that the girls weren't even trying to disguise…

And Nanoha fought down bile and disgust at exactly how underhanded this was going to be and said, "So, after the Garden of Time collapsed, what did happen to you and Alicia? After all, _I_ made sure your plans with the Jewel Seeds didn't work..." Nanoha said, deliberately both bringing up the one thing Precia truly cared about and then emphasizing the fact that it was _her fault_ that Precia did not have that thing. The result was really quite spectacular.

One second Nanoha was floating, facing a somewhat disheveled and wild-eyed woman… the next she was flying backwards, her shields screaming from the effort of holding against a veritable wall of lightning that filled her entire field of vision.

 _Not good, not good, not good!_ She thought frantically. There really wasn't time for anything fancy if she wanted to live, so she simply plunged Raising Heart right into the approaching mass of energy and threw as much energy as she possibly could into it. The mechanisms in the staff rattled in a very unsettling way, and the cartridge feed drew in all the remaining rounds in the currently loaded magazine.

The bolt of pink light left the tip of the staff… except, much to Nanoha's dismay, it _didn't_ leave the tip of the staff. Her spell made a valiant effort, but seemed to be having very little luck actually pushing back against the incoming attack.

 _Still not good!_ She thought. She could try to put more power in, but Raising Heart was already showing signs of strain, and she could feel a trickle of liquid down her back that told her that at least one of her wounds had opened again. **_Vita! Now would be wonderful!_** She screamed mentally.

Vita chose to oblige.

The hammer swung in at the mad mage, her attention totally absorbed in the enormous attack she was launching… and to Vita's great dismay, the shield was _still there,_ the honeycombed wall of energy holding Graf Eisen at bay even as the _raketenform_ 's spike attempted to bore through it.

 _Oh, come **on!**_ Vita thought in deep-rooted annoyance. It was beginning to crack slightly, so the wall of light certainly wasn't as strong as it had been last time, but being able to maintain an attack of that level _and_ hold a passable defense? That was just cheating.

" _Come on! Break through it!"_ Vita roared, barely audible over the din even to herself.

 **"Jahwohl!"** Eisen said, loading a cartridge and doing his master proud.

The light barrier exploded, the raw energy released hurling the combatants apart. Once she'd managed to right herself, Vita quickly scanned the skies for Precia, and, unfortunately, found her. The woman was hunched over and gasping for breath, much like Vita herself, but she wasn't nearly as dead… _no, no, **unconscious,** she didn't **succeed** in killing Hayate so we should take her alive… _as Vita would have preferred.

"Good job." Nanoha said, floating to take a position next to Vita.

"You think? Take a closer look." Vita said. "Look at her _eyes_."

"… ah." Nanoha said, seeing what Vita meant after a second or two. The shock seemed to have done her some good, because while Precia still looked distinctly unhappy, she also looked a great deal more… well, _sane._ "She's calmed down. We can't rely on her striking wildly anymore…"

"Yeah. Not sure I like the thought of her having thoughts." Vita said dryly. "Still, wasn't a wasted effort. Breaking a spell that powerful had to leave some pretty nasty back… lash…" Vita said, her voice trailing off as she saw a line of blood flowing down Nanoha's leg. A quick glance confirmed that the stain on her back was both larger and no longer dried out. " _What the Hell are you still here for?!"_ She snapped.

"GAH! W-why are you yelling at me all of sudden?!"

"Your wounds have opened up! You tryin' to die?!"

"It's not that bad... only a bit of it opened. The bleeding is just a trickle, I'll be..."

"Bull! You clear out of here, or at least go to Shamal! I'll handle her by myself!"

Nanoha smiled sadly. "Even if I wanted to, do you think she would let me go?"

"… … … fine. But now I'm going to slap you _twice_ after we kick her ass." Vita grumbled.

* * *

 

Raijin skittered harmlessly across the silver wall. Despite leaving a trail of crackling sparks along the magic barrier, the weapon did not penetrate nor even really crack the shield, and in fact picked up an unwanted hitchhiker… a mass of silver chains that snapped around the blade, attempting to restrict its movements. They broke easily enough, but the fact they were able to form at all was just one more sign to Susanoo that maintaining any sort of edge to Raijin was getting more difficult.

"You… you are getting _really_ annoying. Didn't anyone ever tell you that good pets don't bite?" He growled.

Zafira raised one fist in front of himself in a ready stance. "Your insults are meaningless. Every strike you throw is weaker than the one before it. We both know it won't be long now."

"Yeah, you're probably not wrong. Guess that means I don't have any choice." Susanoo sighed in annoyance. "This is _really_ going to hurt, but it should work… probably. Raijin, I need some range, okay?"

" **Artillery Form, stand by! If you're planning what I think you are, it's a bad idea!"** Raijin said, shifting to its cannon form.

"No, no, it's… well, okay, yes, it's a very bad idea. But it might work anyway." Susanoo said, leveling the weapon at Zafira and beginning to gather power. Not much, he didn't need much… and frankly, that was good because he had little left to give. It was times like these that those charge systems were a blessing; at least he could appropriate enough energy to get the job done even if he couldn't generate it himself.

Zafira watched cautiously. _Is he trying to focus his power to break my shields? No, even if that was the case, it doesn't make sense to try such a slow attack when we're this close together. A trap, like with Signum. Which means he isn't really aiming at me._ The barrel of the weapon was pointed squarely at Zafira's torso right _now,_ but that would take all of a second to change once the attack was charged.

Fortunately, it would take less than that for Zafira to make sure the attack never finished charging. His body took on a faint silver glow, and he tensed his muscles.

Susanoo kept the weapon trained firmly, the most obviously telegraphed attack imaginable. _Please… please… **please** let this work! _He thought, just a tinge of desperation in his mind. Pretty much everything depended on Zafira trying to stop him before the shot went off. If the Familiar decided to try intercepting the blast after it was fired, he was essentially screwed… well, actually, there was a chance that he was screwed either way. But only the one option had any hope of success. _Come on, big guy! You don't know where I'm really aiming, right? Can't risk trying to defend, right? And I couldn't be a better target, holding the wrong sort of weapon and taking so much time to gather power! Come on, man, I'm giving you victory on a platter! Eat!_

The wolf lunged, and Susanoo tried not to smile. It helped that things had gone according to plan… the plan really wasn't very good, and needed all the help it could get. The Familiar's glowing silver fist struck home without the slightest resistance or attempt at defense, and when it did it released the shining aura as a coherent bolt into Susanoo's torso. At point-blank range.

The attack was surprisingly bloodless, considering the light went completely through him. Ah, well, that was magic for you.

Susanoo's eyes widened; he might not have a gaping hole in his chest, but he could taste blood in his mouth and darkness was already beginning to creep around the edges of his vision. He couldn't even feel any pain, but he'd taken enough wounds to realize that probably wasn't a good thing considering he had _heard_ bone break. _If a bone breaks, and it doesn't hurt… that's bad, isn't it? Does that mean I'm in shock? Is that even possible?_ He was pretty sure he had built-in systems to keep that sort of thing from happening, but he was also sure that he wasn't functioning correctly at the moment.

Fortunately, all that really mattered was that he still had just enough control left to raise his arms.

He clamped one hand onto Zafira's wrist, trying to hold him in place, even for just a fraction of a second. He then raised his weapon with his other arm and fired, trusting Raijin's sensors to do the targeting he was no longer able to do.

Zafira's eyes widened as the bolt flew through the air he himself had only recently vacated.

"Ha… ha…" the blue-haired boy chuckled with some effort. His numb fingers lost their grip on Raijin and it fell to the ground below, followed at a much slower pace by he himself; his flight spell was beginning to flicker out, and he was slowly descending whether he liked it or not. "Only had… one shot… so I needed you… to move, see? Couldn't risk you… blocking… since… right where I was aiming…"

Zafira's eyes widened further as he considered that he had been between Susanoo and... "Shamal!"

"… what's a Shamal?" Susanoo asked, admittedly no longer quite certain what he was saying. It was just that the blackness behind his eyes was growing, and he was finding it sort of hard to focus. _I should take a nap. Yes, that's good…_ he thought, smiling in satisfaction at this stroke of genius as he fell from the sky.

The bolt of blue light struck its target.

"Eep!" Shamal squeaked as the air _next_ to her exploded

Tsukuyomi floated out of the smoke, her face set in a mask of disapproval. This may have had something to do with the fact that, while she was not significantly harmed due to the now-dispelled bindings and containment fields absorbing the majority of the blast, her dress was still basically gone.

As she hovered in her underwear and a few charred rags, shifting a bit of fabric in an attempt to maintain modesty, one eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. "Big brother, you _idiot_ … shooting me is the best plan you could come up with? And this is… I am in _public_ and you just… exactly which sister do you think I am? Oh, I am going to be _very cross indeed_ …" she muttered.

Shamal stood ready, watching this… interesting display. "I may not be as dangerous as my companions, but you'll find I am not without my defenses. Attack at your own peril." She said simply. This was, perhaps, an exaggeration… she certainly wasn't _defenseless,_ but against a real combat mage, she wouldn't have much of a prayer unless she could take them by ambush. Still, it wasn't wise to advertise that fact.

Tsukuyomi, however, did not appear terribly concerned. "Well, then I suppose I shall take you at your word. Please enjoy your defenses, because I have no interest in breaking them right this moment."

"… eh?" Shamal said eloquently.

"Suijin, you have the codes. Just… just send the signal I asked you for. Even I just want to go home, now..." She then turned to face Shamal, and said, "Oh, and by the way? You shall _not_ be getting a candy."

"…eh?" Shamal said again in mounting confusion.

Suijin sent the signal, using her command codes and Susa's to transmit an executive order. Tsukuyomi nodded in satisfaction.

It was a tad inelegant, but sometimes if you _really_ wanted to clear out a gathering, you had to do something a little extreme.

* * *

 

It was the spear-point going most of the way through her midsection that made Signum realize she'd been just slightly too slow.

She was fairly certain that nothing vital had been damaged beyond repair… were she human, she'd have need of a new liver, but as a program she should be quite fixable. None of which meant it didn't hurt like Hell, of course. She coughed up blood and tried to grab the weapon to push herself off… ordinarily, ripping out a blade, especially such a jagged one, would be the height of idiocy, but allowing a weapon that could shoot fire from its tip to stay _inside_ her would be far more foolish… only to discover that Amaterasu had much the same idea; the difference being that she was choosing to dislodge Signum through the sheer inertia of _swinging her._

It was not pleasant.

In the crater that formed from her fall to earth, Signum did not stand up.

"Are you all right?" Chrono asked, landing behind her. Signum was impressed… there was more genuine concern in his voice than she would have given him credit for. She had only very vague memories of her life and masters before Hayate, but she had read the personnel files of Testarossa and her comrades… there hadn't been much else to do during the legal proceedings, after all. She knew what had happened to the boy's father. Even if she had not been _personally_ responsible, she and her fellow Knights were still involved enough that she wouldn't have thought less of him if he had blamed her for his father's death. It was a point in his favor that he was able to push past that. _Strong, like his sister. You'd never know they weren't blood._

Signum smiled tightly. "Fortunately, that weapon… seems to cauterize what it cuts. The bleeding is not as bad as it could be, and I'm... made of sterner stuff than a human. But I'm afraid… that I won't be much more help to you. You see, I seem to be unable to move…"

"That's fine. You've already done more than you needed to." Chrono reassured her.

"Honestly, I'm amazed she's held up as long as she has." Amaterasu said, looking down on them from above. "If she'd been at her best, this might have been a real problem. But in that condition... well, willpower will only get you so far. One down, one to go."

"Can you manage a retreat? Your own unit medic is close by." Chrono asked, ignoring the woman in the sky in favor of the one on the ground.

"If I was going to successfully retreat... it would have been quite some time ago." Signum said, closing her eyes in acceptance. "Just ignore me. She might not be very injured, but I think her stamina is waning too. If you hold nothing back, you could very well defeat her… but if you distract yourself defending me, all you'll do is get us both killed."

Again, the boy managed to impress her by not arguing the point, merely gathering his power and positioning himself between her and the threat. "I won't go out of my way, but I'll see what I can do about keeping her away from you. If you can summon up enough energy to move, use it to get out of here." He said.

Signum smiled at that. _A bit rough around the edges, yet, but he'll be a fine commander when he grows a little._

"Brave boy." Amaterasu said, almost as if she was agreeing with Signum's own thoughts. "It's true I've used up quite a bit of energy. Who knows? It might be enough if you really push yourself. But if it isn't…" she said, swiping her blade through the air meaningfully.

Chrono's face remained carefully neutral as he prepared to attack. The blue-haired woman's muscles tensed to charge.

And then both of them practically jumped out of their skins as a great booming electronic voice totally ruined the atmosphere.

 **"Self-destruct system has been activated. All remaining reserves in use. Time to detonation: One-hundred and eighty seconds from the time of this message."** The Colossus said as Tsukuyomi's reprogramming took hold.

Quite suddenly, the assorted warring mages became so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.

"Big Sister?" Tsukuyomi shouted across the skies, perhaps more loudly than was strictly necessary. "We should begin evacuation. The remaining power reserves are only enough to fuel two to three more salvos of the main cannon, but that should be quite sufficient to obliterate everything within thirty to forty kilometers of the unit itself."

" _Tsukuyomi?!_ What the _Hells_ do you think you are doing?! _We are winning!_ " Amaterasu snarled.

Tsukuyomi blinked. "I'm blowing up the battlefield. I just said that."

"You're disobeying our master's orders? How _dare_ you?!"

"I'm not. Our orders were to activate the two Gates. We've done that."

 _"And_ to eliminate the Enforcer unit assigned to our case!"

"I think that once they explode, they will be dead."

" _They're not going to stay here for the explosion!"_ Amaterasu replied.

"Oh." Tsukuyomi said. Everyone listening waited for several seconds, but she didn't continue.

"… … … … … Gaaaah! Unit, this is General Amaterasu, code 0012414192. Cancel self-destruct sequence _now!_ "

" **Unable to comply. Detonation in one-hundred and forty-five seconds."**

"Unable... then Susa too?! No, of course, this was all his idea, wasn't it? _Gods above_ he is going to pay for this…"

"Hmmmmm… partially. I thought of the good parts, though." Tsukuyomi said, after a moment's consideration.

"What is going on?!" Chrono asked, just _slightly_ panicking.

"Why can't you cancel that command?!" Precia inquired just a second later, thought she sounded more angry than panicked. Possibly because she was angry.

"I've been outvoted. It's a security measure; in case one of my orders needs to be rescinded and I'm unable… my command access is higher than either of theirs, but not _both_ of theirs. If they both authorized this command together, I can't countermand it," Amaterasu growled. "Send the pick-up signal, Kagutsuchi. We need to clear the area _now_."

"You cannot be serious! Order them to rescind their command! Victory is…" Precia began.

"Going to be blown to one of the deeper Hells in…"

" **Detonation in one-hundred and twenty seconds."**

"… less than two minutes. You want to stay here, be my guest, but I don't fancy my chances of getting those hard-headed kids to change their minds in that time," Amaterasu said bluntly. She then turned to Chrono and said, "You should withdraw your people, cutie. This isn't going to be pretty."

Chrono held one hand out, a blue circle igniting in his palm. _All right, people, I've signaled Amy to issue an emergency teleport. Get as much distance as you can in the meantime, just to be safe._

 _We're not going to try to take them?!_ Vita snapped. _We can do this! Besides, how big a blast can it be?_

_Look behind you and slightly to your left. See that mountain range?_

_Yeah?_

_Now see the one that's half gone? That weapon was powered by the power core that's going to explode down there._

_…Oh._ Vita thought. _I… I thought that was just… you know, a smaller mountain…_

 _I'm voting we do what Chrono says!_ Nanoha chimed in.

**"Detonation in eighty seconds."**

**_Now!_** Vita chimed in, her position on the subject suddenly quite different now that she had a general idea of exactly how thoroughly things were going to be exploded. _We should do it **now!**_

The by-now familiar black portal opened in the air. "All right, people, we're out of here." Amaterasu said. " _Hey! Testarossa! We're leaving, unless you fancy staying here to die!_ Ugh, this whole situation is just humiliating… could someone go pick up the doofus? Oooooh, I am going to do stuff to _him._ Horrible stuff. Stuff he'll want to talk about in public even less than the stuff I normally try to do to him." She grumbled, floating through her escape portal with Precia following after a few seconds.

Zafira looked doubtfully at Susanoo. The boy was _out_. All he had to do was pick him up and…

Tsukuyomi flew in to confront him. "Eighty seconds," she said. "Is not a very long time. Particularly in combat, and _especially_ when one side is actually _trying_ to waste time…"

 _Can you hear me, Zafira?_ Hayate thought. Her mental voice sounded weak, but her tone was firm nonetheless. _Let them go. The teleport is synced up._

Wordlessly, the Guardian Beast abandoned the battlefield.

Satisfied with this, Tsukuyomi descended to ground level to sling her unconscious brother over her shoulder and pick up his device, which helpfully went into its sealed form for her. It was really a rather polite AI as long as anyone but its actual owner was holding it.

She moved to enter the portal and explain to Her Majesty just exactly how they had managed to only do half their job, when yet another obstacle presented itself.

"Wait!"

Tsukuyomi narrowed her eyes. "Nanoha Takamachi. My usual patience for your ramblings notwithstanding…"

"My _what?!_ "

"… this is, perhaps, a bad time."

**"Detonation in sixty seconds."**

"A _very_ bad time."

"The others are already gone, I don't want to fight or anything like that. I just really need to ask you something. That woman… Precia Testarossa… is she your master?" Nanoha asked.

"I don't see how that affects anything…"

"Just answer!" Nanoha snapped. When Tsukuyomi's eyes widened at the odd tone, she said, "…Please." in a much softer tone.

"… if it matters to you that much, fine. The answer is 'no'. She is… I hesitate to even call her an ally, honestly. For the moment, we have convinced her that our goals are also in her best interests. That's all."

Nanoha sighed in relief. "That's… that's good."

"Why is it important? I understand she's been responsible for some fairly serious disasters in the past, but I didn't see any sign of them affecting your homeworld…"

"Because despite everything, I really don't think you're a bad person… but she is. So I feel better knowing that whatever you're trying to do, it wasn't _her_ idea." Nanoha smiled warmly. "It really makes me feel like there's still hope for you."

Tsukuyomi blinked. "You… you should stop that. I am not a 'good person', I am a soldier. My own morality notwithstanding, my duty comes first. You have _no idea_ what I am capable of, what I am willing to…"

Nanoha smiled. "Really? Because to me, it looks like your duty just came second to family. Not something a heartless soldier would do, at least I don't think so."

Tsukuyomi's mouth opened, but she couldn't think of a valid response. The girl was, after all, perfectly correct. Logically speaking, she should have pursued the battle to its conclusion the instant she'd been freed, but she had chosen to withdraw, because… because…

_Because Susa was in trouble, of course. Masters come and go, but family is forever. But her majesty's orders are absolute, correct. But I couldn't lose my brother... but..._

"I… no, I don't…" She began.

" **Detonation in twenty seconds."** The downed Colossus said, shocking her out of her thoughts.

Nanoha's smile did not wane, though a touch of regret entered it. "I'm sorry I didn't see you much today… we'll talk again later, all right? Good-bye." She said, dissolving in a rain of white light as the _Asura_ extracted her.

Tsukuyomi shook her head as if to clear out the confusing thoughts the girl tended to inspire, and passed through the portal with only a few seconds to spare. The black tear closed.

And in a brilliant burst of pure white energy, Dysval became even less pleasant to live on.


	18. Battle Was Less Stressful

Chrono sat in a waiting room down the hall from the _Asura'_ s infirmary with his head between his hands.

Nanoha patted him on the back reassuringly, as she had been every twenty or so minutes since they sat down in the waiting room together. By virtue of the fact that she was able to stand up and her bleeding had been stoppable, her injuries had been deemed light enough that she could survive on bandages and painkillers for the moment, at least until those in genuine danger were out of it.

The last mission had not gone as badly as it could have, but it had still gone pretty badly. Far, far too many people were taking up beds in sickbay, and for those who _weren't_ the situation was no better. _They_ were the ones who had to wait outside for some news as to what was going on.

Well, except for Vita, who had physically threatened one of the medics who had tried to make her leave, and who had settled for getting out of the way by literally hovering above Hayate. Nobody would trip over her if she was pressed against the ceiling, she'd reasoned. Nanoha had briefly considered doing the same, but Vita had also physically threatened _her_ if she did anything to exert herself before she got her wounds more properly treated. Vita was a 'do as I say, not as I do' sort of person.

Zafira had gone to find an empty room in the crew quarters to rest, stating that worrying wouldn't help, and they would all be better served by tending to themselves and marshaling their strength on the off-chance they needed to defend the wounded from something. He was probably right, but frankly Nanoha couldn't focus on herself while other people were in pain. So she waited, Chrono choosing to keep her company… although as he had time to sit, review what had happened, and thoroughly and repeatedly blame himself for it, _she_ ended up being the one keeping _him_ company.

It had been nearly two hours. It felt like a lot more.

"It's all right, Chrono." Nanoha said softly, one of many little reassurances that had passed between them during the interminable wait. As the mission commander, Chrono was taking things harder than even she was, and that was an _accomplishment_ because Nanoha was very, very good at blaming herself when someone else was endangered because she hadn't performed well enough.

He smiled at her, but there was no joy in the expression. "No, I'm afraid it really isn't. We were utterly outmaneuvered here. As much as I hate to admit it, if it weren't for mother and her reinforcements of… questionable legality… we would probably all be dead right now." He said, the first real

"We couldn't have predicted that they would have the kind of firepower they brought along. Or that…" Nanoha's eyes hardened. "… _she_ would be there."

"Well, I can agree with that. There aren't many people I was expecting to see _less…_ " Chrono sighed, rubbing his forehead. "The last thing we needed was more complications, and whatever else that woman might represent, she is a _huge_ complication."

"I wonder what her involvement is? They said she's not their master, but she's not exactly the sort to work well with others. She always struck me as kind of a control freak." Nanoha said.

"Maybe Tsukuyomi was lying."

"I doubt it. I… well, she's not very good at it. I think I would have noticed."

Chrono chuckled dryly. "I suppose you would have. And even more than that, they didn't really treat her the way I would expect from a defense program or familiar towards their master. You've seen the Wolkenritter around Hayate, Arf around Fate. But those three don't even seem to really _respect_ Precia, much less _like_ her. At times they went as far as giving her _orders_." Chrono said.

Nanoha tried not to smile as a thought struck her. "Well… can you really blame them? Most people don't like her..."

"I can see that." A new voice said before Chrono could respond. The automatic door hissed open, and Vita stepped into the room, pushing Yuuno in a wheelchair. " _I_ don't like her, and we only just met. Can't imagine getting to know her improves the situation."

Nanoha stopped trying not to smile, a bright and genuine grin emerging on her face. "Yuuno! You're okay!"

Yuuno smiled right back, instantly looking a little healthier as happiness took some of the pallor from his skin. "Yeah… I didn't take any physical damage, I was just totally exhausted. Once Miss Shamal didn't have to worry about keeping Fate alive and she was able to focus her attentions on me, it didn't take her long to get me on my feet again." He glanced at his wheelchair. "Well… you know what I mean. No magic whatsoever for at least two or three days, and I shouldn't try walking on my own power until tomorrow. Beyond that, I get a clean bill of health."

Vita smirked just a little smugly. "True Belkan healing spells work by restoring the target's magical energy first, so their own magic can help their body heal. Once Shamal was able to get this guy away from those fussy Mid medics and focus on him herself, he was fixed up in no time."

"And the others?"

"Well… it's lookin' like nobody's going to die. Signum took the worst of anybody, but she'll be fine. I've seen her live through worse... that old monster's too tough to go down to anything that doesn't kill her right off the bat. And even then I wouldn't be sure." Vita said fondly. "Testarossa and her familiar were... less certain. They should pull through, but if Shamal hadn't gotten to them out in the field and sent them back early, they might not have. And…" Vita's voice grew softer and took on a good deal more emotion. "… they said Hayate's legs are all right. I guess there were some worries that all that electric magic might have caused nerve damage, but she's… well, she still can't walk without performing a Unison, but at least she's not any worse off than she was before."

Nanoha smiled at this news, although secretly she had already assumed that the mere fact Vita had left the room had meant that Hayate, at least, was fine.

 _Nanoha?_ Chrono asked telepathically, a private link only to her.

_Yes?_

_Does she have tears in her eyes?_

_I think so._

_If I point this out, will she punch me?_

_Yes. Definitely._

_Good to know._ Chrono thought. Out loud he said, "Glad to hear it. We owe you and Hayate our lives, frankly. If she'd been seriously harmed…"

"If she'd been 'seriously harmed', then I would have ripped that Testarossa bitch's spine out with my bare hands. I don't care if we _are_ supposed to bring them in alive, there are some things that just don't get forgiven." Vita said bluntly. "As things stand, I'm still calling dibs on her next time she shows up… but I'll settle for just hitting her until she stops moving."

"You'll have to get in line behind Arf. And me." Chrono said.

"And me." Nanoha said.

"… wow, now I kinda want to check out her case files. Must be interesting reading if she's ticked off this many people…" Vita said in wonder at the uncharacteristically aggressive reactions.

"Well, she... she had her reasons for most of the things she did. The Jewel Seeds, I could forgive that." Nanoha said. "But the thing that really struck us was the way she hurt Fate very, very deeply… physically, yes, but especially in her heart. I realize how horrible this sounds, but I think that when she disappeared, really we mostly felt bad that Fate was feeling bad."

Yuuno nodded sadly. "And in a way, that just made her seem worse, didn't it? Fate really did love her, despite everything, and she was able to turn her aside without a second thought."

Chrono summed it up. "She was a monster. Maybe she wasn't _always_ one, but she was when we met her. To anyone who genuinely cares for Fate, Precia Testarossa's death was more of a relief than anything worth mourning."

"Well, to me, her life is an irritant." Vita said firmly.

"Irritant is a good word for it, I think. Actually, Chrono and I were just trying to puzzle out what her involvement could mean." Nanoha agreed.

"Well, like you said, she only has one goal, and it doesn't really seem to mesh with what we've seen of the enemy objectives." Chrono said. "Even if bringing back the _dead_ were actually possible, how could a network of teleportation devices help?"

"Network?!" Yuuno interjected. "Then they managed to activate more of them?"

"Unfortunately, yes. A new one, _and_ the last one they made an attempt on."

"No, no, no! I had a line into that one! Did you check the data feed in my quarters?! Is it still active?!" He snapped.

"Oh, that's right. Well, sorry to tell you this, but the signal from ship to surface was cut off awhile ago, so I doubt it." Chrono said.

" _Argh!_ And I was learning so much, too, but now it probably won't even talk to me anymore… oh! I need to see what else I managed to download before the link was severed!" Yuuno said excitedly, attempting to stand up and dash to his quarters.

'Attempting' being the key word.

From his new position face-down on the floor, Yuuno said, "I'm going to need someone to wheel me there."

"This… this is just sad." Chrono said. "Someone help me deliver the ferret?"

"Sure, why not? Not like I got anything better to do." Vita said, slinging Yuuno over her shoulder like a sack of vegetables.

"ULF!" Yuuno said. _How nice that I've found a career that really lets me use my degree._ He thought dryly. "Um… Vita, while I appreciate you treating me like luggage…"

"Nah, I treat my luggage better than this." Vita said cheerfully, dropping him back into his chair with probably more force that was strictly necessary.

"URK!" Yuuno said. "… right… as I was saying before these lights started flashing behind my eyes… you don't _all_ need to come to my room to look at my archaeology research. Don't you have official reports to file?"

Nanoha shrugged. "I doubt any of us will be able to concentrate until everyone in Medical is at least _awake_ again. This is as good a way as any to distract ourselves, and some… relatively… fresh eyes to look over your research couldn't hurt, right?"

"Besides, between the sensor logs and our device downloads, the Admiral knows pretty much everything that happened anyway. I'm sure she's got a lot on her mind already, so we should let her digest the big events before we chime in with all the minutiae." Chrono said knowledgeably. "Yes, best not to burden her while she's engaged in such serious deliberation."

* * *

 

"Hmmmm…" Admiral Lindy said, her gaze fixed on the glowing screen and an expression of intense interest on her face. "Amy… do I want coffee or tea?"

"Eh?"

"I like tea more, frankly. But for big workloads like this, coffee just feels more 'professional'." Lindy said.

"Admiral, I… um, well, I was just going to say that Lieutenant Lexus at the Home Office sent you a communiqué during the battle, and now that we're off emergency channels you should probably listen to it."

"That's not the answer to the question I asked, Amy."

"I know. I was just a little surprised by the question, so I sort of… defaulted back to what I'd been planning to tell you anyway."

"What was so surprising about it?" Lindy asked.

"I'm just a little shocked by how… well, you seem to be a bit more laid-back than I expected, that's all."

"Hm?"

"Well it's just that the mission was a failure, and we've now we have to reopen the Jewel Seed case files, which besides everything else means that we're now contending with a SS-class dimensional criminal. The situation is degrading very rapidly and you don't seem… worried. At all." Amy said delicately.

Lindy smiled at Amy, and strangely enough, Amy could swear that she felt the temperature in the room drop several degrees. "It's funny you should mention that, Amy. You see, in addition to what you've already outlined, there's one other problem. My child… my _daughter…_ is lying in the medical ward right now, with third-degree electrical burns over ten percent of her body. In addition, Miss Shamal has informed me that if she hadn't arrived when she did, it's very possible that Arf would have suffered a complete core matrix destabilization and simply _faded from existence_ , which would have left said daughter emotionally devastated and could have had any number of adverse effects on her own linker core. The damage might easily have been _permanent._ A permanent, debilitating _scar_ on my daughter's magic, a wound on her _soul_ that would have been with her for her entire _life._ "

"A-admiral…?" Amy squeaked.

"So you see, Amy, I am very deliberately suppressing my real feelings and reactions to this mission. Because if I showed how I was _really_ feeling… well, that would be pretty scary." Lindy said. She was still smiling. That just made it _worse._

"I-I-I see…" Amy said. Despite Lindy's insistence that she wasn't being scary, Amy was discovering quickly that she was pretty scared regardless. She thanked her lucky stars that Chrono had never been seriously wounded in the line of duty and she'd never had to experience this before; hopefully all of Lindy's kids would be very, very careful for the rest of their lives and she'd never have to experience it again.

"You know, I've never killed a human being, Amy. There's any number of people in this service who have, but not me. Even back in the old days before I became an officer, when I was in the frontline combat units, I was always a support mage. My duties were sealing, enhancements, first-aid. I've never had to take a human life." Lindy said. "But I think I could, for my children. If I was pushed just hard enough, I really think I could."

"… … … …" Amy said. She tried to scream, but no sound came out.

"Also, I'll have tea. Green. Cream and two sugars." Lindy said cheerfully, turning back to her screen. "Hmmm, let's see, new messages, new messages… oh my. That could be bad. Amy?"

"Y-yes m-m-ma'am?"

"It seems I'm being 'strongly encouraged' to make a personal report. Inform the helm to set course for HQ, and tell Chrono I need to speak with him."

"Whatever you say!" Amy said, not _quite_ running out of the room in terror.

Lindy blinked a few times in confusion. "She's a bit flighty today. I hope she doesn't forget my tea…"

* * *

 

Susanoo's eyes fluttered open. His limbs felt thick and sluggish, but there was no pain or nausea, suggesting that some repairs had been performed (Honestly, he understood the necessity of being able to feel pain, but sometimes it was damn inconvenient). When the blurriness faded from his vision, he confirmed this; someone had installed him into his repair crèche and activated it. His limbs were hard to move because he was suspended inside the black crystal as energy flooded his body and repaired the damage.

 _Huh. We got home? That's good._ He thought. _Oh, look, my coat is back. Barrier Jackets are great. Everyone should have clothes that grow back._

Then the crystal flickered out of existence as it was forcefully deactivated from outside, sending him tumbling to the floor. That was less good.

"Ow… that's not a good way to wake up, yet it seems to keep happening…" He grumbled. Then he noticed exactly whose boots were in front of his face.

"O-oh. Good morning, sis…" He said to Amaterasu's feet. A quick glance confirmed that she was alone in the room with him, which meant that there were no possible sources of help. Not good. Maybe if he didn't _say_ anything about it, Amaterasu would completely forget what he'd done. And perhaps he would spontaneously gain the power to turn marshmallows into diamond.

"Good. Morning. Little. Brother." Amaterasu said. She had a cheerful grin on her face, but her flat, mechanical tone indicated firmly that it was very, very fake. "How. Are. You. Feeling?"

"F-f-fine… um, how long have I been asleep?"

"Only. A. Few. Hours. It. Was. Mostly. Pure. Magic. The. Worst. You. Got. Was. Some. Skeletal. Damage."

"U-um… sis, you seem to be… talking a little funny…"

"You. Seem. Nervous. Why. Is. That?"

"W-w-well… I… can't help but get the feeling that y-y-you might be… furious…"

"What. Gives. You. That. Idea?!" Amaterasu said through gritted teeth, her smile growing noticeably strained.

"Well… I… um… sort of… _maybe_ talked Tsuku into being insubordinate with me…" He began. So much for not mentioning it… he sighed and hung his head, not bothering to stand up on the basis that he would soon be on the floor again anyway. "This is going to hurt, isn't it?"

" ** _You idiot!_** " She roared, stomping her foot into the small of his back. Hard.

"Gack!"

"I have two problems with you. Just two. Surprisingly few, I know, but you should be happy because I am not removing my heel from your kidney until I have shared them with you."

"… yay?"

"First, and foremost… you disobeyed orders. Not mine, I could overlook that. But you disobeyed a command from our _master_. You and Tsukuyomi used some… some idiotic rationalization to get around a direct order, and cost us a potentially decisive victory. Really? 'They will die in the explosion'? I mean really, I've heard some _sad_ loopholes in my time, but you two have really outdone yourselves this time. And now our troubles have multiplied. You think we'll have another opportunity like this one? We aren't going to get lucky like this again, Susa. They aren't going to come at us in _waves_ next time. We'll be outnumbered and outgunned by a huge margin, right from the start. I'm a goddess, not a miracle worker."

"Well… you're not _really_ a goddeURK!"

"Still talking, hon." She said, almost casually grinding her heel in. "Where was I?"

"We're outnumbered now…" Susanoo said with a certain amount of effort.

"Ah. Yes. And it's _all your fault!_ " She finished. "But that's only _one_ thing I'm angry about. Second… and possibly even worse… _you didn't let me in on it_."

"… eh?"

"You think I won't disobey orders if the situation calls for it?! I am the _queen_ of finding stupid loopholes! If I'd known you were getting brutalized over in the corner, of _course_ I would have found some way to justify calling a retreat. But you didn't even tell me! Really, Susa, I'm hurt!"

"B-but you said…"

"That was when I didn't have all the information! And really, how often are what I say and what I _mean_ the same thing?!" Amaterasu said.

"Not very oftURK!"

"Don't agree with me when I'm being self-deprecating! Be nice to your sister!" She said.

"I'm sorry? Um… you mean what you say… except when you don't… which is, um, always but never? I… I really don't know what you want me to say here…"

"Oh, nothing in particular. Just as long as you sound supportive." She said cheerfully. Then she ground her heel in again.

"URK! _Why?!_ "

"Because it's fun." She said, her warm smile growing wider as she finally removed her boot from his spine.

"Um… then you forgive me?"

"Oh, Susa, really. How many times do I have to say it? I just can't stay mad at you. I'm not really _angry,_ not anymore. Though I'll... admit to a little bit of confusion." She said, sitting down on the floor beside him. "A lot is riding on this operation, you know. This is our one shot at rebuilding the old Empire."

Susanoo smiled sadly, pulling himself into a sitting position and leaning his head on his big sister's shoulder. "You know I don't care about that. I never did. Don't get me wrong, I don't especially dislike the conquest and that, but ruling over a bunch of worlds I'll probably never even visit again just doesn't excite me. My Master... my family… a couple fun opponents I can use to keep my skills sharp… really, I don't need a whole lot to be happy, personally. I'll follow orders, but it's really hard to put my all into killing a bunch of people I really kind of like over something I don't even want."

"I… I suppose I understand that line of thought. It's very 'you'." Amaterasu admitted. "But could you please try? Even ignoring the fact that it's our duty… it would just make me feel better. Like we'd actually started to make up for the Fall."

"The Fa- _why would you even bring that up?!_ Whatever they wanted to call us, we're only bodyguards! We didn't make the Fall happen, we did everything we could to stop it, and _you_ did more than the Tsuku and I put together!" He snapped. "I'm not going to sit here and let you blame yourself for something you couldn't have changed!"

"You're sweet. And right, of course. But knowing something in my head is a little different from believing it, you know?" Amaterasu said softly. "So please? If orders aren't enough to motivate you, then make it a personal favor to me."

"… fine. I'll try, if it's that important to you."

Amaterasu slid her arms around him and smiled. "Thanks." She said, pulling him close.

"Ummmm… you can let go now." He said after nearly a minute passed without her giving any signs of breaking the hug.

"Hmmmm… no, I don't think I can." She said thoughtfully.

Susanoo could not help but notice two things. One, all trace of the sadness and regret in her voice was gone. Two, her grip on him was growing considerably tighter. He was just lucky that he couldn't see the expression on her face, which was painfully reminiscent of a cat watching a fishbowl… prey that it _knows_ it has already caught.

"… I should not have let you get this close." He said. It was not a question.

"Probably not." She purred.

"Could... you _please_ not? We were actually having a moment here. Don't ruin it."

"Sorry. But when you just walk right into it like this, how am I supposed to resist?" She asked.

Outside and down the hall, Tsukuyomi was walking towards the regeneration chambers. Queen Enlil had been barely conscious after they had returned, and Tsukuyomi had taken it upon herself to carry the Queen to her bedchambers and watch over her to make certain she was in no lasting danger. It had not been easy; Enlil had been semi-delirious from exhaustion, but _just_ lucid enough to notice how badly wounded her assault force was. Tsukuyomi had been forced to physically drag her from the room to prevent her fussing over Susa (or giggling like an intoxicated child at Precia, which was probably even worse. Thankfully their semi-ally had stormed back to her lab almost immediately and hadn't been in the room to hear _that_ ).

It had taken a bit of time to calm her down, but she was sleeping peacefully and didn't seem to have any legitimate injuries. This meant that Tsukuyomi, who _did_ have some legitimate injuries despite the combat first-aid she'd administered to herself, was now free to see to her own wounds. She opened the door into the chamber.

Amaterasu, her jacket halfway off, was pinning Susanoo to the floor. She appeared, to the casual observer, to be nibbling on his ear. For his part, he appeared to have worn several small grooves in the floor in vain attempts to escape.

"… … …" Tsukuyomi said.

"Oh, hi Tsuku! We're just goofing around a bit, so don't mind us. You get some sleep, you're looking a bit pale." Amaterasu said cheerfully.

"Help!" Susanoo gasped.

Tsukuyomi considered the situation for a brief moment. "Big sister… what exactly are you planning to do?"

"Hmmm? Just normal family bonding." She said innocently. It was really quite impressive how she could manage to sound innocent in spite of being in possibly the least innocent situation imaginable.

"Well, as long as you don't do anything illegal I suppose there's no problem…" Tsukuyomi said after another moment's deliberation.

" _No problem?!_ " Susanoo stammered.

"Oh, it's just a little cuddling and such. You know you love it." Amaterasu said cheerfully. "Ah, the pure and innocent love of an older sister…"

"It's hard to call it innocent when you tackle me and won't let go! And 'cuddling' doesn't leave teeth-marks, unlike whatever the Hells you're doing!" He yelped, making another impassioned yet futile attempt to escape. "Tsuku, help me out here!"

The youngest of the three guardians looked directly into her brother's eyes and gave one of her very rare genuine smiles. "Big brother…" she said "… you _shot me_. You may now consider us even."

Then, without another word, she stepped into an empty crèche, closed her eyes, and let the dark crystal materialize around her to begin repairs.

* * *

 

"No, _no_ , **_no!_** " Yuuno said in despair, pounding a fist in frustration on his personal terminal.

"Bad news?" Chrono asked dryly.

"The link is completely severed! Not only can I not download any more data, the AI won't even _talk_ to me anymore. And we were getting along so well…" Yuuno sighed.

"Sorry, Yuuno…" Nanoha said, patting him on the shoulder consolingly. She wasn't sure what to make of the fact that he seemed more upset about, basically, losing reading material than the fact that he'd almost died a few hours ago, but consoling came naturally to her.

"No, it's… all right." Yuuno said, though he couldn't quite keep from wincing when he said it. "I don't know how much more it could have told me anyway… it was an AI, but not really one made for data storage. Really, I would have preferred to have a few hours to sit down with one of those mages…"

"What _did_ you find out, anyway?" Chrono interjected. "You seem unusually… driven, let's say."

"Well… hmmmm…" Yuuno said. "I don't really want to say."

"… and is there some _reason_ why you are choosing to withhold information?" Chrono asked.

"You want me to hit him?" Vita asked nonchalantly. It was a little eerie, actually, not really an appropriate tone of voice for the act. ' _Want me to get milk while I'm out? Want me to throw your socks in the wash? Want me to pummel a librarian?'_

"Yes, I do, but I'll give him the chance to explain himself first." Chrono said.

"Well, I guess it's nice that everyone is energetic…" Nanoha said in chagrin at this exchange.

"Sorry." Yuuno said, chuckling just a _little_ nervously. "I just meant that I don't really feel comfortable talking about it yet. There's still a _lot_ of data to analyze, and what I've already analyzed is sort of confusing. I'll probably have to go back to the Library for at least a day or two, and my aides have been conducting their own studies on those confiscated artifacts that I need to be briefed on… at this point, I still have more questions than answers. Not much point forming any theories until I have all the information, you know? Because frankly, what I know now makes a lot of sense on some levels and no sense at all on others. I don't want to explain it all and then have it turn out to be wrong."

Chrono considered this. "That makes sense, I suppose. Though you may still get hit, depending on the answer to my next question."

"Which is…?"

"During the battle, just after you stopped that blast, you said something very unusual, and it's been bugging me ever since I got a chance to stop and think about it. So please tell me, Yuuno… what precisely is 'pulling a Chrono'?"

"Um… do you really want to know?" Yuuno asked.

"Well, I _thought_ I did until just now…"

"It's… um… when you…" at this point, Yuuno's voice descended into incoherent muttering.

"Speak up!"

"It's when you… try to do something that's way too hard for you… and then pass out…" Yuuno said.

"… … …" Chrono said.

"Are… are you angry?" Yuuno asked.

"… … …" Chrono said.

"You're angry."

"… … …" Chrono said.

Vita looked thoughtful. "Wouldn't it be better to call that 'pulling a Takamachi'?"

"Vita, _please_ don't drag me into this!" Nanoha squeaked in protest.

"Yeah, you're right. You usually don't pass out, you just keep going on sheer stupid willpower." Vita agreed.

"Is it 'pick on Nanoha' week?" Nanoha sadly asked.

Vita enthusiastically clapped her on the back, nearly causing her to pass out considering that the only real medical treatment she'd so far received was some bandages and disinfectants. "Nah, that's a good thing! I respect determination."

Nanoha took several deep breaths to silence the pain. "Did you… do that… on purpose?"

Vita's smile became a tad sinister. "I respect determination, not stupidity. You may recall that I said I was gonna smack you after the fight for trying too hard? A knight always keeps her word. _"_

"N-noted." Nanoha said just a _little_ nervously. Really.

Yuuno chuckled a little. "Remind me to stay on your good side in the future, Vita..."

"You'll need all the help you can get." Chrono agreed. His tone made Durandal seem positively sweltering in comparison. "Considering how thoroughly you've managed to _avoid_ my good side..."

Yuuno grew very, very pale. "Would it help if I said it was all Arf's fault…?"

Chrono groaned. "You know, Fate is actually integrating into the family quite well, but the more I get to know her _pet_ the more I remember why I never made a familiar of my own… she's even more annoying than Lotte, and that takes some work."

"Chrono? Your mother wants you on the bridge. Please, please don't make her wait. She's scaring me." Amy piped in over the ship's intercom.

"… Amy, I'm in a generally bad mood right this moment. Some decorum would help."

"Eh? Okay, um… Captain, Admiral Harlaown has asked you report to the bridge as soon as possible."

"Much better."

"So please hurry before you make your mommy worry." Amy said, and although they couldn't see her face they could _hear_ the wicked gleam in her eyes.

"Amy, you _are_ aware that I can cut your leave time for the year, right?" Chrono asked.

"… sorry, sir."

"That's better. Tell the Admiral I'll be with her shortly, and… oh, could you prepare the transport center for one beam-out? Scrya needs to head back to the Library shortly, and we might as well get ready for him."

"Um… that won't be a problem, since we're setting course for Headquarters anyway..."

"What? But wh- oh. Oh, no. Amy, _what_ does mother want to talk to me about?"

"I thought we were using decorum."

" _Answer the question!_ "

"I don't know, I don't know! Something about a message she got from the home office! What is it with Harlaowns being scary today?!"

" _Dammit!_ " Chrono snarled, practically sprinting out of the room.

The silence he left behind was very thick indeed. It was Vita who finally broke it.

"This ship is fun." She said.

* * *

 

Enlil stretched her arms out and yawned. "Ugh…" A brief glance around confirmed that she was in her bedchambers and (for _some_ reason) dressed in a small, sheer, lacy black _thing_ that was meant to be worn in bed, yes, but not really intended for _sleeping_ so much as something she might have worn in the old days when her husband had managed to get her in a good mood.

Slightly more disturbing, she had no memory of synthesizing such an outfit when she acquired the rest of her clothing. Nor any memory of changing into it. Or even of entering her bedchambers.

"… how?" She asked of nobody in particular. Fortunately, even when _she_ wasn't talking to anybody, somebody could hear her.

" **Good morning, your majesty. How are you feeling?"** Yggdrasil asked.

"My head is killing me, but beyond that I seem to be all right. What happened?"

" **You lost consciousness upon retrieval of the assault team."**

"… not good." She said with a sigh of annoyance. "I knew that I was stretching myself a bit thin, but I didn't think I would actually pass out. I wish we had another way in and out of here, the current method is screamingly inefficient. … _Wait._ How did I get into my bed? And who changed me into this thing?!"

" **Ocean unit, your majesty."**

"Oh, thank every god there ever was and a few of the ones we proved don't exist." Enlil said, letting out the breath she hadn't even noticed she'd been holding. Out of everyone it could have been, she was really the best choice. And it also meant that her… _unusual_ new outfit had been a misunderstanding rather than a deliberate attack (Although it did raise the new and far more confusing questions of _where_ and _why_ Tsuku had acquired it). "And where are they now?"

" **Ocean Unit is undergoing repairs, and should be completed within the half-hour. Lightning Unit has locked himself in a vacant room and refuses to come out. Flame Unit has completed her repairs after being electrocuted by Lightning Unit.** "

"… and he electrocuted her _because?"_

" **His exact words on the subject were, and I quote: 'There is a certain amount of creepiness I'm willing to put up with, and you've exceeded that for the day'. To which Flame Unit's exact reply was: 'I was just playing around, you little jerk! I wasn't actually going to _do_ anything… unless, y'know, it seemed like you were into it'. To which Lightning's exact reply was, 'Why the _hells_ would I be _into it_ you lunatic?! _'._ To which Flame's exact reply was 'I don't know, you could have electrocuted me earlier if you'd _really_ wanted to get away, I thought you were just playing hard-to-get'. To which Lightning's exact reply was-"**

"I get the picture." Enlil said, not entirely sure whether she should be laughing or crying. On the one hand, her elite royal guard acting like childish morons was always cause to make her depressed, but… gods, Yggdrasil simulating their voices for a blow-by-blow replay of their idiocy was just _so absurd_ it was hard to keep a straight face. _Focus on business, Enlil, that's good. Don't burst into tears **or** giggles, either would be highly undignified._ "So… how did the mission go? I'm afraid my memory is a bit fuzzy."

" **All primary objectives completed. All secondary objectives failed."**

"What? Then that means they couldn't eliminate the enforcer unit? That's unexpected…"

" **According to their reports, a second enforcer unit of comparable ability intervened."**

"… what."

" **A second enforcer unit of comparable…"** The computer obediently repeated.

"I heard you the first time! This is just… ugh. I should have anticipated this. We haven't caused any actual fatalities yet, and I'd hoped that would be enough that they wouldn't bother to bring in additional resources. But with all that's happened... how could they _not_ reinforce their position?" Enlil sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Not good. I… still, there's certainly enough high-yield weaponry lying around. I'm certain I could manage another portal like the one from today, maybe even a few at…"

**"Absolutely not. This operation was a greater stress on your abilities than you led us to believe, and overdrawing your powers is _extremely_ dangerous. Now that I am aware of the genuine danger of your actions, my programming will not allow me to permit you to endanger yourself in such a manner again. You are the only person on this world who is _not_ expendable, master. The throne _cannot_ be empty."**

"… fine." She said, knowing better than to argue. Yggdrasil could only disobey her orders if it judged them to not be in her own best interests or the best interests of the Empire as a whole; and if it made that judgment, changing its mind was an exercise in futility. "Then what are the odds of success if we try to implement Operation Rebirth with only three Gates? Because our chances of activating a fourth just fell to near zero."

" **As of now, the odds of successful retrieval are somewhere between 60.3% and 72.8%. I apologize for the wide range, but I am afraid that the involved technology and processes are largely untested, particularly on the scale we hope to achieve. As such, many variables cannot be accurately accounted for, making predictions more difficult as more data, and thus more unknowns, enter the equation."**

"Well… we might have no options but to go ahead and hope for the best." Enlil said. "At the very least we managed to push it to over fifty… success is 'probable' instead of just 'possible'."

**"There… may be another option."**

"Eh? Out with it, then, I'm open to suggestions."

 **"Flame unit received a package for you. A message, more precisely."** Yggdrasil said. " **She left the device on your nightstand after I confirmed that is nothing more than a data storage unit. But… while the item itself is completely harmless, the source is utterly untrustworthy and has in fact demonstrated hostility in the past."**

Enlil turned to the small table by her bedside and spent several seconds staring intently at the small black card. "Hostility? You don't mean…"

**"Indeed. It was given to her by representatives of the unknown third party that attempted to abduct two of your guardians during one of the previous operations."**

"They introduced themselves with unprovoked attack and attempted kidnapping… and now they want to _talk?_ "

" **Uncertain… I have not accessed the data on the unit, merely made certain that no traps or viruses of any sort were present. But my current working hypothesis would suggest that it indicates a desire to negotiate."**

"Hmmmm… it's a bit unorthodox, but…" Enlil said, twirling the card between her fingers. "… it never hurts to look."

She gave the tiny sliver of black metal a small smile.


	19. Necessary Measures

Chrono burst onto the bridge and snapped, " _What happened?!"_

Lindy's eyes widened. Considering she'd nearly jumped out of her skin, it was an impressive show of emotional control that this was her only visible reaction. "Chrono. _Relax_. We've just been asked to take a detour to headquarters. It's… probably not important."

"Probably not…?! Admiral, we both know there are only two reasons we could possibly be…"

 _And neither of them should be discussed out loud._ Lindy chided him.

_And telepathy is safe?_

_I'm switching the frequency every thirty seconds. As long as we don't talk long, that should be enough._

_All right, quickly then. What is this about? Did someone puzzle out the Wolkenritter, or is it good news?_

_Have you seen the reports from the guard team at the Gate site we had under our control?_

_No, not yet. I know that they came under assault, unfortunately, but not the details. Why, what…_

_Two of the cyborgs that attacked Nanoha and Fate assisted in the assault on the team. They completely ignored the other hostile to focus entirely on our unit._

**_What?!_ **

_Volume, Chrono._

_Sorry, sorry. It's just… last time, it was almost the exact opposite. They were going right for the enemy, and seemed interested in Nanoha and Fate only in terms of eliminating witnesses. What changed?_

_I don't know. I'm hoping that's what this is about._

_Ah. And if it… isn't?_

_That's why I called you up here, just to make sure you were prepared for the worst. It's entirely possible that the Wolkenritter… situation… has come to light. And if that's the case, things could go south very quickly. If I can't talk my way out of it, I'll take full responsibility to spare the crew, Hayate and her knights from the fallout. You need to be ready to resume command of this operation, if you have to._

_They wouldn't **actually** …_

_Of course they would. I knew I was taking a risk. The only reason I didn't ask Hayate and company to accompany you from the beginning of the mission was that I didn't want to bring them into this at **all** if I could avoid it. _Lindy replied. _Depending on who found out what, I might very well be in for some sort of punishment. Worst case scenario, I could potentially be stripped of my rank, even prosecuted._

_We'd be dead if you hadn't recruited them!_

_Which will be a point in my favor._ Lindy agreed. _But you know as well as I do that a lot depends on who's conducting the hearing. Some of my esteemed colleagues in the upper ranks are very reasonable and forgiving, some are…_

_Enormous jerks?_

_I would chastise you for that comment if this conversation weren't private._ Lindy thought, trying not to smile.

 _If this conversation weren't private, I would have phrased it differently._ Chrono agreed. _I would have said something like 'I feel that the officers in question may have the tendency to interpret certain regulations too stringently, which can occasionally lead to those regulations being to the detriment, rather than the benefit, of the Bureau as a whole'. I know how to sound polite without actually being polite._

 _Oh, Chrono, you really **are** learning how to be an officer. _Lindy thought proudly.

* * *

 

"So what do you think?" Enlil asked.

"This is a trap." Susanoo said bluntly.

"Oh, I don't know. They seemed like nice enough death machines; they had a clean shot at my back and didn't take it." Amaterasu said cheerfully. "It can't hurt to see what they want. Who knows? We might get something out of it."

"And you think they'd just offer to help out of the goodness of their non-existent hearts?" Susanoo asked. "Anyone who uses disgusting puppets like those things to fight for them can't be trustworthy."

"Well, obviously they want something from us too. And no, I don't think we should just blindly trust their word. But it's not as if they can get to us here, or as if they can do anything to counter us if Rebirth goes smoothly." Amaterasu pointed out. "Tsuku, what about you?"

"… provided we anticipate and prepare for treachery, I see no reason not to at least speak to them." Tsukuyomi said. "It isn't as if we have to agree to anything. Or honor any agreements we make."

Susanoo sighed. "Fine, fine, guess I'm outvoted this time. Go ahead and see what they want, Lil."

Enlil's eyes narrowed.

"Er… not to say that my vote matters. Because clearly it was always your decision to make. Your majesty." He said quickly.

"That's better." She held the card up, flat on her palm, and looked at it expectantly. "… I don't suppose your new 'friends' mentioned how to turn it on?"

"They weren't big talkers." Amaterasu said.

"Hmmmm… activate? Execute? Set-u… oh, that one did it." She noted, as the small metallic object took on a soft blue glow. Rather than an actual message, it projected an image of what appeared to be nothing but random colors swirling in a cloud, with small pinpoints of light scattered throughout it. "A dimensional map? But there are no coordinates. What good is that?"

The major problem with attempting to map dimensional space was the fact that dimensional space tended to change. All the time. Oh, things as large as habitable dimensions tended to stay in _roughly_ the same place, but there was nothing that did not shift a little bit in the enormous sea of random energy that made up the space between those dimensions. The numerical coordinates assigned to worlds were almost a spell in their own right, a magical equation that locked onto that world's unique magical signature to allow travel via ship or teleport. As a result, a map _without_ those coordinates included was of dubious value.

"We have the search magic that's been running to find the Gates, right? That seems to work pretty well. We could re-purpose it for mapping." Amaterasu suggested. "Or compare this to the map in the archives. It won't be much use, but it might be enough to start with. Or we could try sending one of us through, to act as an anchor for a more intense search magic. Or…"

Tsukuyomi got up on her tip-toes to whisper something into Susanoo's ear. He shrugged and reached his hand into the display, which reacted by causing a small series of numbers to appeared above one of the points of light in the simulated dimensional sea.

"… or we could poke it." Amaterasu said, sounding a little annoyed that none of her great ideas would be used. "Yeah, let's do that. Because _that's_ exciting."

"The card is keyed to the magical signatures that they've been able to study… mine and big brother's," Tsukuyomi said. "They wanted to be sure that only we could activate it, so it would only provide the full contact information to one of us…"

"Oooooh. Well, it's a bit boring, but that was a good catch, Tsuku." Amaterasu said. "How did you notice it?"

"Notice what?" Tsukuyomi asked.

The silence that fell was thick indeed. The worst part was how _genuinely confused_ she sounded.

"… right then. Let's see what's at these coordinates." Enlil said, deciding that it was best not to go too far into _that_ line of thought. "Just a small look at first, not enough to set off any sensors…"

She extended her hand into the air, and opened a portal. But rather than a full-sized opening suitable for traveling through, it was only a tiny black spot that would have had trouble fitting even a small insect. A scouting portal, large enough to send a spell through, but hopefully too small to be picked up by long-range sensory equipment.

The card in Enlil's other hand began to glow far more brightly, and the map it was projecting vanished. The device itself began to hover of its own volition seconds later.

Enlil cast the slip of metal an unconcerned gaze. "Yggdrasil?"

" **Reaction detected, but there are no signs that it is dangerous."**

 **" _Oh, it isn't._** _"_ The card said. The accent was cultured and polite, but beyond that the voice was distorted so heavily that little could be told about it, not even the gender or age of the speaker. " ** _It's simply responding to a communications link that opened when our probe on-site detected your portal opening. It is coming through clear, I assume? We've had to bounce the signal through several different relay points to insure it could not be traced. It shouldn't be a problem, but even the most advanced technology isn't always reliable."_**

Enlil arched one eyebrow. "That is a tremendous amount of effort to go through just for a conversation."

" ** _That it is."_**

"And yet you seem to have gone to it, mister... or miss... I'm sorry, but you really do have me at a disadvantage here. At least introduce yourself."

" ** _My title is 'Director'. From what little we've managed to glean from your agents, yours would be 'your majesty'? You'll forgive me if I don't call you that, it would simply make me feel ridiculous."_**

Enlil chose not to mention that he or she was, if their situation mirrored her own, speaking to a talking square piece of metal that floated in the air, and wasn't the ridiculous all on its own? She chose instead to ask "Might I ask what you are the Director of?"

" ** _Oh, nothing that you need to worry about. We do enjoy our anonymity, and we've suffered too much exposure recently as it is. Let us simply say that our humble organization has taken a vested interest in your operations, and leave it at that."_**

"Given the level of funding you seem to have, I'd guess 'humble' isn't the best word to use, but I'll ignore that for now. Instead, I vote we cut this delightful chat short and have you explain exactly why you've gone to the effort of... frankly, any of the things you've done, because most of them strike me as both costly and difficult _."_

 ** _"Straight to business, then?_** **"** The voice said, and even through the electronic alterations, the amusement shone through, ** _"Fair enough. Let's talk business."_**

* * *

 

Fate's eyes fluttered open.

God, was _that_ a mistake.

The lights in the infirmary were dim and gentle, but even that much felt like someone was taking a power drill to her skull. She snapped her eyelids shut immediately, and tried to bury her face in her pillow before recognizing that she was secured to the bed and couldn't roll over.

She was vaguely aware that there was something she should be worrying about right now. It was important. But her thoughts were so fuzzy, there wasn't a single part of her body that didn't hurt, her exhaustion was bone-deep, and the bed was very, very soft. Still, maybe she should try anyway, just to make certain that something important wasn't happening without her there to help... she could just open her eyes, ignore the pain, it wasn't _that_ skull-splitting...

A familiar feminine voice said, "Good, good... she's accepting the treatments well. Klarer Wind, if you don't mind." Soft green light shone above her, easily noticeable even through her closed eyes. Rather than pain, however, this new light brought with it a deep sense of relief... and with the diminished aching, a realization that she was actually far, far more tired than she'd previously thought.

She briefly considered trying to think about the important thing that had happened despite this, but the last straw came when she realized that she could hear Arf's distinctive breathing in the cot next to her. _Oh. Arf is here. Everything must be all right, then._ She thought. Satisfied with this logic, she allowed herself to drift back into sweet oblivion.

Arf smiled in her sleep, and never really knew why.

* * *

 

Yuuno turned in the corridor, leaving Lindy and Chrono to continue to their hearing. Fortunately he'd had a few hours to scrounge, so he'd been able to come up with an automatic wheelchair to replace the cheap one that needed to be pushed. "I'm headed this way… you're sure you don't need me for anything?" He asked.

The three had disembarked at Fleet HQ; Chrono and Lindy for the Admiral's personal report, and Yuuno to continue his trip onward to his real posting in the Infinity Library. After making a brief trip together, they were now preparing to part ways for the immediate future.

"Well, there is one thing." Lindy said with a smile. "We need you to learn as much as you can, as quickly as you can, and get back to us."

Yuuno smiled at that. "Well, after the last few days, it will actually be a bit of a relief to have my nose buried in a book. Though I'm sure that feeling will fade once I see what a mess the place has become without me… not to say that it wasn't a mess when I was there…"

It was at this point that the Harlaowns couldn't help but notice that he wasn't smiling anymore.

"… and even if the data I'm looking for exists, the odds are that it's buried under who knows how much useless junk… finding the information on the Book of Darkness was simple in comparison, considering that what I'm looking for now is both older and _much_ less specific… and I don't even know if the half-baked theories I have now are close to correct, they might very well mean nothing, which would mean I'm basically working off of nothing here…"

It was at this point that the Harlaowns couldn't help but notice that he didn't really look all that healthy anymore. He seemed to be rather paler than he should have been.

"And I can't handle any of the search magic myself. No, worse... I can't even walk yet. I'll need to _delegate almost everything_. Oh, God, I need to trust my _staff_ with most of the work, and they're not really scholars… half of them are just university students working to pay off their tuition, they barely even know what they're doing. You know, when I took this job, the clan elders laughed at me when I told them about it? They laughed so hard, and I didn't know why. Now I do, though... ha... ha... ha..."

It was at this point that the Harlaowns couldn't help but notice that he didn't really look _alive_ anymore. His laughter sounded like a funeral dirge.

"Ah, well… back to the grind…" Yuuno said dully, rolling away. He appeared to have a small cloud of darkness around him that sucked the joy from everything he passed, even things that one wouldn't have expected to have their own joy.

Lindy and Chrono watched him go in silence.

"He might need a vacation." Chrono ventured.

"Couldn't hurt." Lindy agreed.

"So, moving on." Chrono said, taking approximately thirty seconds to file Yuuno's situation away under 'not really important' and moving back to the matter at hand. "Do we have any idea what to expect from this hearing."

"Not a clue. I haven't even been told who's overseeing it." Lindy said, concern entering her voice. "And that worries me. It's like they're intentionally trying to keep me off-balance. Best-case scenario, this is a covert method of passing sensitive information my direction."

"Worst-case?"

Lindy fell silent for several seconds. The Hearings Chambers were the only part of the station that nobody had any reason to go to without some sort of appointment, so the only sound in the corridor was the echoing footsteps of the mother and son as they walked. Finally, she said, "Well… in the absolute _worst_ case scenario, I shall need you to break me out of prison. I'm sure you can handle it, you're a very bright young man."

"… I'll think about it." Chrono said, after another few moments of almost-silence.

They came upon the doors to the tribunal chamber, and without preamble, marched in.

Chrono realized immediately that whether things were about to go well or poorly, whatever was happening now was _very_ important.

The hearing chamber was surprisingly simple; it wasn't a formal courtroom, after all, just a meeting chamber. It looked more like somewhere that the board of directors of a business might meet than a place that a military trial would occur. But the three-person tribunal Lindy was reporting to more than made up for _that._ Well, actually, only one of them did.

The first was a red-haired man roughly five times Chrono's size. He was wearing the blue uniform of the Fleet, like Chrono and Lindy, the difference being that his muscle mass seemed sufficient to turn the uniform into rags if he breathed too hard. His absurd beard made it hard to be sure, but he didn't seem to be smiling.

The second was even stranger. She was a small woman, with slate grey hair in spite of features that did not really give the impression of age; it was hard to be certain, but if Chrono had to guess he'd have said she wasn't much more than ten or eleven years older than his mother. Her face was carefully expressionless, but her eyes… Chrono almost instinctively moved his hand closer to Durandal when she cast her equally grey eyes on him, because he knew enough to know when he was being studied for weaknesses. Even more unusually, she was wearing what appeared to be a black men's suit rather than the uniform of any branch of the Bureau military. A civilian? But that made no sense.

But what really sealed the deal was a woman of similar hair color but much more obvious age seated at the head of the table.

 _Is… is that Admiral Mizetto?!_ Chrono thought, eyes wide. There was no mistaking _that_ face; Mizetto Kuroobero, one of the legendary 'Three Admirals' who had been with the TSAB since the beginning, the chief of staff for the entire organization. She was not smiling, which looked very out of place when Chrono considered that he had never seen even an image of her _not_ smiling. She always, _always_ wore that warm, dignified, 'grandma who just baked a pie' smile on her face. The fact that is wasn't here now was probably a bad sign. _The fact that the chief of staff is here at all is 'probably a bad sign'! She wouldn't be in the room if this wasn't major!_ Said the portion of his mind that screamed at him when he had stupid thoughts.

"Admiral Lindy Harlaown. Step forward." Mizzetto said.

Lindy did so. The atmosphere was so hostile that Chrono had to fight down the nearly reflexive urge to stand in front of her and shield her with his body.

"Recently, several convicted felons entangled themselves in a small-scale dimensional incident, in clear violation of their parole. You are here because this incident was in your oversight, and there is suspicion that the criminals in question were acting under your orders. This is a very serious matter, and the purpose of this tribunal is to assess the situation and determine the appropriate response and subsequent punishment."

"With all due respect, sir…" Chrono began.

"Captain Harlaown, please refrain from any further outbursts. You will have the opportunity to testify in Admiral Lindy's defense at the appropriate time." The admiral said, not angrily, but with enough force that Chrono shut his mouth.

"Now, it should go without saying that this conversation will be recorded." The large man on the left said, gesturing to a small card on the table in front of him; his device in storage mode? So he was a mage, too. "Admiral Harlaown, you are formally accused of aiding and abetting in the escape from Bureau custody of convict Hayate Yagami. For those who may not be aware, Miss Yagami is a confirmed criminal with the exclusive loyalty of a small unit of elite mages, each of whom also possess an extensive record of violence against both this institution and a number of non-administered worlds. She and her followers have been in custody for the last six months, with discussion ongoing as to the nature of their eventual sentencing. Earlier today, they eluded their observers and left Mid in clear violation of their limited parole, only to reappear shortly thereafter at the site of an incident-in-progress. This incident, it must be noted, was a full-scale combat incident under your command, Admiral Harlaown. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty by reason of extenuating circumstances." Lindy said without hesitation.

"Noted." The admiral said. "We shall now listen to your testim… oh, never mind." she said, cutting off suddenly as the device in front of the man on the left blinked green and said **"All clear, boss."**

"Wait, what?!" Chrono asked in confusion. "What do you mean never mind?!"

The man chuckled, a deep rumbling laugh that made Chrono's teeth vibrate. "Ease up, kid. Just needed to make sure nobody was listening in, and setting up a jamming field that I could really be confident in took some time. Sorry about the charades, but it's very important that nobody knows why you're actually here. Though I _guess_ we could still pronounce sentence on your mom if you want us to. Chief, you want to announce Lin's punishment?"

"Very well. Admiral Harlaown, you have been _very_ naughty. That is a bad, bad girl. You are hereby ordered to go to bed this evening without any dessert at all." Admiral Mizetto said solemnly.

"You monster!" Lindy said with mock outrage.

Chrono responded to this exchange in the only manner that seemed appropriate. "... ... ... huh?"

* * *

 

"Worth it?" Enlil asked. "That's a rather bold claim. You make it sound like I'm interested in acting for your benefit, when the fact is that your actions thus far have not exactly given me a real reason to trust a single word you say."

" ** _Ah. Yes. Allow me to apologize for that… unpleasantness. The result of an unfortunate combination of misinformation and insufficient pre-mission planning time."_** The voice from the card said.

"You _apologize._ Considering that the 'unpleasantness' in question consists of theft and attempted kidnapping, it's a bit hard to take you seriously."

" ** _Please consider that the damage your operatives inflicted to my own was not inconsiderable. Believe me when I say that we have paid for our actions, and I mean that in the most literal way possible."_**

"My operatives are more valuable than yours." Enlil said. "But since your puppets didn't do any permanent harm, I might be willing to overlook this unfortunate event. Depending, of course, on what you want _now."_

" ** _What I want?"_** The voice from the card asked. **_"Well, that depends on a few factors. You are attempting to engineer a major dimensional disturbance event of some sort, correct? Preliminary analysis of the artifacts you've unearthed suggests as much. Before any real negotiations can take place, I need to know your_ exact _purpose."_**

"In other words, you want to make sure we're not going to cause too much mass devastation?"

**_"That's a bit simplistic, but generally speaking, yes. Stability is good for everyone."_ **

"Well, rest assured that I agree with that sentiment completely. I have absolutely no intention of unleashing wholesale slaughter upon the masses or anything tedious like that." Enlil said with a slightly bitter smile. "We just want our home back. It's not any more complicated than that."

" ** _You would be shocked how little that information helps. Be specific, please."_**

"… fine. As I'm sure you've guessed by this point, we are operating from a position within the dimensional void. The uninhabitable area beneath common dimensional space, and…"

**_"The final resting place of objects that are lost in dimensional dislocations."_ **

"Yes, that would be the case. Unfortunately, the object that was 'lost' in the tremor in question was our entire world, the capital of our entire civilization." Enlil said.

**_"Certainly there have been a fair number of worlds lost to such events. The myth of Al Hazard comes to mind..."_ **

Enlil did not visibly react to the words 'Al Hazard'. A cynical person might have claimed she reacted far _too_ little, but such a person would have been very cynical indeed.

**_"... though this is the first I've ever heard of one actually coming back."_ **

"Well, it isn't back yet. It's _here_ , in exactly the place where it has been floating lifelessly, for far, far too long. A small portion of the population managed to get to shelters, but they had no way to escape and most eventually… passed."

 _" **Most?**_ "

"Yes, _most_. It's… difficult to be certain of the exact number, but… we have reason to believe that a small portion of the populace might still be alive. In suspended animation, in shelters scattered across the planet. Not many… maybe only a few thousand, out of a planetary population of about four billion." Enlil said, her voice taking on a certain desperate tone. "But isn't that _enough?_ Even a few thousand is a viable population if we're careful with breeding. We have enough to _start over_ … if we can get them _out_ of this hell alive." Enlil said, her voice filling with passion, sounding on the verge of tears.

It was just as well that the individual on the other side of the link didn't know her, or he'd have been aware she had been able to cry on command even before she'd really gotten into politics and received professional training in the art of lying convincingly. It helped that, in this particular case, the lie was both more likely to inspire sympathy and a great deal more pleasant than the truth; while there really had been small pockets of survivors here and there, they hadn't had access to the resources that would have let them eke out a living, and in all the chaos none of the automated systems had noted their locations.

Those were _her people,_ and they had died, lost and alone in the dark. Not all of the sadness in her tone was false.

"We'd long ago lost all hope of escape, and most of the world went dormant in hopes of... well, let's not mince words, we were holding out for a miracle. We never really expected one to happen, but evidently whatever gods might still exist out there were not entirely done with us just yet. It took a very, very long time, but eventually something workable showed up."

 ** _"SS-threat level dimensional criminal Precia Testarossa. She fell through the cracks in subspace, and landed right in your lap."_** The voice said thoughtfully. " ** _I'd comment on how unlikely that is, but considering that my latest reports feature her alive and in your care, it seems that it really wasn't very unlikely at all."_**

"She was the one who gave us limited access to the outside, and the one who gave us a hope of making it more permanent… once we managed to tame her enough to reach an agreement." Enlil said wryly. "My compliments to your culture, by the way… people used to call me a genius, but it would have taken me decades to work out some of the spells she's provided. I'm just lucky I was intelligent enough to figure out how to _use_ them."

" ** _She has a reputation to that effect."_** The individual on the other end of the link agreed. " ** _Unfortunately, as so often happens, her legitimate brilliance is coupled with a deeply disturbed mind, and as a result her more unsavory dealings have become better known than her less 'psychotic' works."_**

"She _is_ a difficult person to work with."

" ** _And in that respect, I am beginning to fear she has something in common with you. I am forced to notice, ma'am, that you are attempting to hide certain details from me. Certain bits of information appear to be absent from it, is what I mean."_**

"… and those would be?" Enlil asked, her tone going positively glacial.

" ** _The Time Space Administration Bureau is, among other things, well-known for humanitarian efforts to imperiled civilizations, particularly magical ones. Negotiating truces, freeing slaves, providing food and medicine, that sort of thing. Had you made some effort to negotiate, it should have been patently obvious they would have been willing to extend evacuation aid to you. So why didn't you? Surely the continued existence of your culture is worth a few hours of discussion."_**

"Hmph… haha… HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Enlil fell into helpless giggles, clutching her sides.

_" **Admittedly not the reaction I was anticipating.**_ **"**

"I thought she was supposed to be a diplomat…?" Amaterasu muttered.

"I…! I'm s-sorry! It's just… you hide your face, your voice, even so much as your _gender_ , only speaking to me over an untraceable covert link, and you accuse _me_ of not being _trusting enough?_ " Enlil chuckled. "Oh, you're a treasure. I'm going to guess a fact about you, and you tell me if it's true: if I searched for your name in the most recent census data for whatever world you happen to be from, it would either inform me that you are dead, or that no person with your name and physical characteristics was ever born."

" ** _… … …"_**

"Yes, I thought so. Clearly trusting others is very high on _your_ list of priorities." She said dryly. "Well, in any event to answer your question, sir or ma'am, we did not approach any modern government because this is our utter, absolute last chance. What if they didn't believe us, or they weren't willing to take the risk and still attempted to prevent us from inducing the required dimensional event? We'd be right where we are now, only the enemy would have more information about us. And even if we succeeded, what is the point in rebuilding if we end up as just one more 'Administrated World' before we have the opportunity to establish our independence? Don't think I don't recognize the pattern... how many worlds agree to follow Bureau law out of genuine agreement, and how many do so because they are first informed of these laws while several very large, shiny ships just happen to be in orbit? Oh, I don't blame them... safeguarding creation is a difficult goal to set for oneself, and one must be willing to take questionable actions in order to achieve it. But that doesn't mean I am interested in being answerable to any higher authority, thank you very much." She said. _And more to the point, they might have asked us what we plan to do once we're out, which would have been extremely awkward to explain, believe me,_ she did not say out loud.

" ** _My, you are a bit paranoid, aren't you_?" **The Director said, and Enlil thought she heard approval in the altered tone. **_"But then, there's nothing wrong with that. A leader who doesn't know when to be paranoid is one who tends not to be a leader for very long. Yes... yes, I think we can understand each other. Even, if you are willing to provide suitable compensation, work together."_**

"Of course. We haven't much... or, actually, anything... in the way of modern currency, but I'm sure we can arrange a suitable reward for your services."

**_"Oh, I'm afraid we already have a price in mind. It's a bit steep, but considering the circumstances, not terribly unreasonable. We are, after all, basically offering you your lives. You shouldn't expect it to be cheap."_ **

"And what _would_ it be, exactly?"

**_"Well, in exchange for intelligence and military support, we had rather decided that we would like everything. Blueprints or samples of any mechanisms or spells that catch our interest. Everything you have."_ **

"... I beg your pardon?"

* * *

 

Chrono looked back and forth between his mother and the tribunal, confusion and anger warring for control of his face. In the end, what actually won was neither of them, but rather a sort of long-brewing annoyance. "We're not in trouble, are we?"

"No." Lindy admitted.

"And you've known this for...?"

"Only since we entered the room, I swear." Lindy said. To her credit, she didn't laugh at him. "They really didn't tell me who would be running the hearing, but..." She gestured at the huge, bearded man, "The large gentleman over there is Commodore Torus Bentz, from Internal Affairs... and he also attended the academy with your father, he was a groomsman at our wedding, even. And my first assignment ever was as Admiral Mizetto's assistant. There was no way that two thirds of the committee would be old friends if I was actually in any danger."

Chrono rubbed his forehead and sighed sadly. "And of course, rather than discreetly let me know we were fine, you left me to panic."

"Well, we might have been under observation. Until we could be certain it was safe, I thought I should... help you give a good performance." Lindy said apologetically. "Besides, it was heartwarming. You got so _defensive_. It was nice to see that you care."

"He really is a dutiful boy." Admiral Mizetto said warmly.

 _Mom!_ Chrono thought in annoyance. _Stop embarrassing me in front of the living legend!_ Out loud, he said. "So, I suppose I should be asking what this is all actually about... and perhaps more importantly, who is _she_?"

The woman who had not yet been introduced or even acknowledged smiled slightly, the first hint of an expression she'd thus far shown. "Talia Aston. Technically speaking, I'm a 'personal assistant and data entry specialist'."

"You are _not_ a secretary." Chrono said bluntly.

"First off? The term secretary is demeaning, I'm a data entry specialist." Talia said. "Second, I technically am. It's just that I'm usually entering data that people don't know I have, and I'm not entering it anywhere they want me to."

"You're with Fleet Intelligence?"

"Officially, I cannot confirm or deny that." Talia said, which was really answer enough.

Admiral Mizetto steepled her fingers in front of her face. "Ever since the Graham fiasco, we've been making an effort to be more... observant of our top brass. So while Commodore Bentz conducted his investigation, I elected to oversee it personally in the event that there was actually something to it... particularly since I noted that Captain Harlaown's initial report seemed rather more scarce than it ought to have been, and you, Lindy, seemed to have conveniently failed to notice this fact."

Lindy smiled nervously. "You, uh... caught onto that, eh?"

"I have been doing this for a couple years longer than you, Lindy." Mizetto said dryly. "Though you and your boy were right not to say anything. It makes you look sloppy, but it also makes you less of a target. In any event, the investigation had barely even begun when Agent Aston here approached me to offer her... unique secretarial skills."

" _You_ approached _her_?" Chrono asked. "Wouldn't it typically be the other way around?"

Talia and Mizetto exchanged glances, and the older woman nodded once.

"There isn't going to be an official Intelligence investigation into this, considering that corruption inside the Bureau itself is technically Internal Affairs business and they get all whiny if we step on their toes."

Bentz muttered something that might have been 'bitch' and might have just been commenting on the humidity in the room.

"However, circumstances of the case caught my eye. Mostly because this isn't the first time something like this has come up, and the last occasion that anyone noticed had a rather... personal impact on me. So I decided to offer my independent assistance to Admiral Mizetto." Talia finished.

"Then you know something we don't?"

"... yes and no."

"You have absolutely no idea how much I would love a straight answer today. To anything, really, as long as it's an answer." Chrono said bluntly.

"Oh, I've got a straight answer for you, it's just not a very good one and you're not going to like it." Talia said.

Chrono and Lindy exchanged glances, and once again it was the older of the two who nodded.

"Tell us anyway." Chrono said.

"Hmmm... I know that I've been investigating an incident not entirely dissimilar from what you've described for nearly five years, and in that time found almost nothing of value." Talia said. "And that, by itself, is something of value."

"You'd be shocked at how not straight that was."

"Okay, how's this? Basically, you're screwed."

"... that's... a little better." Chrono admitted.


	20. The Fine Art of Deception

Everything.

Seriously?

"You… are aware that we've only just started negotiations, correct?" Enlil said, just barely managing not to sound completely stunned. She'd certainly been anticipating a large demand, but wasn't he being awfully open about this? That just wasn't how it was _done._

**_"Ah, I see the problem. You believe we are negotiating. We each make offers that are more than what we actually want, slowly making 'concessions' to whittle down the other side's resistance, in the end, each side will leave pretending they've given up more than the other? We are not doing that, no. My organization is offering you a service, for which there is a set price which you will find to be quite explicitly non-negotiable._ **

" ** _You wish to escape from a hostile, lightless hellscape. We can give you the support you need to achieve that. And in return for this, we. Want. Everything. If you don't like it, feel free to continue on your own. Perhaps you'll succeed. Or you can attempt to petition the Bureau… they might even listen. The current leadership is very big on forgiveness. Keep in mind, of course, that even in the best-case scenario you are still a criminal, and will eventually find yourself either in prison or working on their behalf in short order should you choose that route."_**

"… if you'll please excuse me for a moment." She said, setting the card down and casting a small seal on it to prevent the other party from listening in. "What do you three think? Give me your honest opinions."

"Well…" Amaterasu said thoughtfully. "As much as we could use the help, I'm frankly finding this a little hard to stomach. He's just a commoner and he has the gall to speak to you like that? Granted, your station doesn't have quite the clout it once did, but it's still irritating. Part of me wants to turn him down on general principle."

"Are we even still considering this? I mean, shadowy dealings, assassinations, utter ruthlessness, I can understand all of that, that's just government stuff... he is government, right? Black ops? I guess organized crime might have that kind of resources, but I'm inclined to think black ops... But this guy is also sort of a jerk, and there's really no need for that. Plus, he's probably going to turn on us." Susanoo said.

"I agree with big brother, actually." Tsukuyomi said. "Were this individual interested in a particular reward, we could at least take comfort that they'd need us alive to provide it, but they've expressed a blanket interest in anything and everything that we have to offer. They can benefit from simply searching through the ruins, and they don't truly need us for that. And…"

"And," Enlil interjected dryly, "They strike me as the type to 'silence' us unless they derive some benefit from not doing so. The instant we're not valuable to them, we'll be tossed aside, then? How tedious."

"Actually, that might be good for us." Amaterasu said. "They're assuming they'll be _able_ to kill us. They'll probably have something ready to attack us from orbit as soon as we hit dimensional space… or barring that, try to slip in an assassin of some sort before we can consolidate our defenses. But to get what they want, they _have_ to make sure Rebirth goes as planned, and once that happens, we're more-or-less untouchable. The planetary defense grid has repelled much worse than whatever trash they're throwing our way, and… well, assassins? Please. That's why the three of us are here, that's our _real_ job. We eat assassins for breakfast."

"Literally, in the case of that one who tried to infiltrate through the the service staff in 1047. Remember, we caught him in the kitchens and it got kind of messy, and the next day Prince Anshar found a finger in his morning tea?" Susanoo said.

" _Yes,_ Susa, thank you for reminding me of something I spent a great deal of time and effort trying to forget. My point is: let them come. We're on our home ground, and whatever they want to hit us with, we can take it."

Susanoo said, "Well, I guess we can promise them anything, right? We're never going to pay it, so..."

"They'll also be expecting that." Tsukuyomi cautioned. "If we anticipate betrayal, it's best to assume they're anticipating much the same and preparing for when we break our word."

"So we have to plan to counter their betrayal, while also planning to counter the plan they're conceiving to counter _our_ betrayal, which of course means we'll also have to have something prepared in the event they try to counter _that_ … it's almost like I'm at a family dinner, there's so much deception and veiled hostility in the air." Enlil said with a smirk. "Fortunately, Amaterasu is right. If Rebirth goes as planned, they're free to scheme impotently as much as they want. No matter what they bring to bear against us we've faced worse, and crushed it. This is no different… no, it's _easier_ , because those were legitimate enemies who understood what they were challengingand chose to face us anyway. Now we're dealing with nothing more impressive than greedy children who have _no_ idea what they're meddling with."

Amaterasu raised a hand. "And what do we do if they actually keep their end of the bargain?"

Enlil blinked a few times.

"Yes, I'm aware how naive that sounded." Amaterasu said, rolling her eyes. "Just thought someone should ask."

Enlil sighed. "Well, on the off-chance that they deal fairly with me, I suppose I'll deal relatively fairly with them. They won't get what they wanted, exactly, but they'll be rewarded suitably. Most notably in that I shall not have them killed. Fair enough?" She waved a hand at the card, dispelling her seal… and inserted the hints of held-back tears in her voice as she said in frustration. "… _damn you._ Yes. Fine. As much as I hate to admit it, we have no choice. There's no price too high to pay for my people. Help us, get us out of here, and we'll give you whatever you want… under one additional condition."

**" _I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that I was accepting new conditions. I already told you that I have no interest in further nego…"_**

"Just listen!" Enlil snapped in desperate annoyance that was only half-fake. "First, as… as a sign of good faith, return the Drive unit you stole. The green gem? This is for your own good as well as ours… the more of them we have, the more likely our plans will succeed. Remember that if we don't get what we want, you don't get anything at all."

" ** _I could make the argument,"_** The Director said slowly, _" **That if you're that uncertain of success, then we might as well simply keep the gem in question based on the fact that it might end up being the only compensation we receive. However, it would be a moot point given that it has already been disassembled."**_

"… … … what." Enlil said, in truly and completely genuine shock.

" ** _For study._** "

"You… you took it _apart_."

" ** _Given that we found ourselves unable to alter the software, we chose to pierce the outer shell and study the hardware instead. It was the logical choice at the time... albeit perhaps a bit ill-considered, given that the mechanism in question no longer seems to function."_**

"You… you _idiot!_ That was… it may have been one of the only ones left in existence! At the very least it will be decades before we have the facilities to make more! It was _priceless_ and you simply ripped it open to fiddle with the insides?!" She snarled.

**_"I understand you aren't happy, but is this going to be a deal-breaking problem? Because I shouldn't have to point out that while we gain nothing by simply backing out of the agreement now, we also LOSE nothing."_ **

_Stop it, Enlil. You're letting him get to you, and that's stupid. Just forget everything else, and focus on the act. Take a deep breath, calm down, and put your mask back on._ It was difficult, biting back her reaction to this blatant disrespect. Precia was already hard enough to deal with, but she was able to put up with that simply because she could partially understand the woman's anger, even if not quite the reason it was so intense. This… individual… was simply very. Very. Vexing.

Still, not for nothing had she been chosen to take the throne over her siblings. She knew how and when to hide her true self, and she could do it as few others could if the situation called for it. "… no. No. In the end, we were going to make do with three anyway, so even one more Gate is still an improvement. And realistically… we still haven't much choice in the matter. We need all the help we can get."

 ** _"I'm glad that you agree with me, then. We'll speak again later, when you're ready to move. The card you were provided has a series of communication points programmed into it, so you can safely contact us again by the same method. And while I truly do understand that you are not truly satisfied with this arrangement, please try to remember that it could be far worse. We gain the new cutting edge of modern technology, you get to return to the land of the living… really, this has to potential to be one of those oh-so-rare situations where everybody wins._** _"_ The Director said, almost cheerfully. The link severed, the card once again went completely black.

Enlil resisted the urge to crush it. "You know, I hope they really _do_ betray us. At least then I can assure myself it isn't anything personal when I have this charming individual hunted down and killed. Right then, back to work. The three of you get as much rest as you can; we've probably got a few days before we find another active target. I need to... ugh... talk with Precia."

"What for?" Susanoo asked.

"The 'myth of Al Hazard'," Enlil said softly. "Precia... when she first woke up, before we could speak each other's languages, she babbled something about Al Hazard. It stuck with me because those were the only words I could pick out of her speech. When there were no mentions in the _Shiva_ files, I assumed it was just a coincidence, a similar term that meant something different. But now its come up again..."

Susanoo blinked. "Well, I'll admit it's not a name I was ever expecting to hear again, but they did say 'myth'. Doesn't sound like they know anything concrete."

"I know, which is the only reason I'm not a good deal more panicked. Still, I'd rather be absolutely certain. If some of that knowledge survived, or even _grew_ over the ages, and it got into the wrong hands..." Enlil said, her voice trailing off briefly. After a few seconds, she sighed and said. "Al Hazard... of all the things to hear in this day and age..."

* * *

 

The Director sat back in his chair and turned to the assistant of the day. "Not bad. A little over-emotional at times, but she's not bad at all. So, tell me… who do you think lied more often in that conversation? Her? Me? Or perhaps it was a draw."

"I couldn't say, sir."

"She's hiding something, definitely. I don't know if that story about survivors is true or just an attempt to create sympathy, but even if she was being genuine that's no reason to need the entire planet back. It can't be suitable for mass habitation anymore, why not just evacuate the people and leave the place behind? No, there's _something_ about that world that they _can't_ give up, and I don't like that I don't know what it is."

"We have the _Hecate_ on stand-by, and she's Arc-en-ciel equipped. One shot from orbit, should be sufficient to annihilate any target, and with the new stealth shields, she should be able to take that shot easily enough. Unless you're thinking otherwise, sir?"

"I thinking that there's far too much that we don't know, and until that changes it is safest to operate under the assumption that there's no such thing as 'overkill' in this situation. The more cards in our hand right now, the better I'll feel. Have we finished the other project yet?"

"Not quite, but most likely within the week. There's been some problems integrating the gem with the Logia we slipped from Containment, but it should be dealt with shortly."

"Good to hear. The sooner, the better. As much as I hate to ask, request the Doctor's assistance if you have to. He might whine about his cyborgs, but the man won't turn down the chance to work on something like this."

"… sir?"

"Yes?"

"If this is really such a risk… maybe we should simply back out. Forget about this mission and just accept what we've already acquired."

The Director shrugged. "Is it a risk? Yes, of course. But the Bureau chiefs have judged the potential rewards to be worth it, and at this point I tend to agree. It's a bit ironic, honestly, considering that our biggest reason for not trusting their word is also the most obvious reason to help them. Extracting an entire _planet_ from the dimensional void? Even just the chance to _examine_ that process would probably be worthwhile. A shot at getting control of the technology involved? I'd say that's worth a risk.

"And of course, it's not as though we don't have ways to alleviate that risk. The _Hecate,_ and of course our other little project. And any other number of backup plans to insure we walk away from this with what we're after. After all, the most important part of any partnership is being able to terminate it if you have to."

* * *

 

Fate opened her eyes.

 _Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Back to sleep.._. She thought, letting them flutter shut again.

"Oh! Fate! Everyone, she's awake!" A voice said very cheerfully. It sounded like Nanoha, though the echoing in her head made it hard to be sure. That presented a problem for Fate, given that her first instinct right this moment was to politely request that the person speaking immediately _stop_ speaking and never open her mouth again, because her head simply refused to stop pounding and the excited shouting was not helping. And yet, this was not something she wanted to ask of Nanoha, because she really liked Nanoha.

 _The things I do for friendship._ Fate thought, opening her eyes as widely as she could without the light becoming genuinely painful. "Hello, Nanoha." She said, her voice sounding painfully raspy even to her own ears. "I'm glad to see you too."

And despite the discomfort, it was true. If one _had_ to wake up, waking up to Nanoha's smiling face was a good way to do it. "I'm so glad… you were hurt, so… Oh!" Nanoha said, her face falling into a look of concern. "I was just so happy to see your eyes open, I didn't even think about it. I'm sorry, Fate, I'll let you sleep…

"It's all right," Fate said, admittedly fighting to keep her eyes open. "I can stay up a few minutes. It's never bad to see you smile…"

That warm, cheerful smile leapt back onto Nanoha's face instantly.

"Like that. That's the one…" Fate said happily. It was almost enough to take her mind off… something… "Where are we, by the way?"

"Um… headquarters. The infirmary wing. They transferred us here when _Asura_ docked, since the facilities are better than anything a ship can offer."

"Headquarters? Then we needed to make a formal report." Fate said. Her mind was still annoyingly fuzzy, but she was starting to piece together exactly what had happened. A Gate again, like before, but this time something else…

Some _one_ else…

Fate's eyes shot open. " _Mother!"_ She sat up, her grogginess already a distant memory. "She's alive! She was…"

"Fate! Calm down." Nanoha said firmly, placing her hands on Fate's shoulders. "I know how you must feel, but you can't do anything about it right now, even if you weren't hurt."

"But she's…" Fate began, before her head began swimming. The adrenaline rush could only get her so far, and she was already beginning to crash. "… she's… she's…"

Nanoha placed one hand on her shoulder. "Shhhh. It'll be okay…"

"Oh, Nanoha…" Fate said, a tear running down her cheek in spite of herself. "I… I thought I was done with this. Deep down, I never knew for certain whether the way it ended was good or bad, but at least I knew it _ended._ It was done, and I could move on with my life _._ But now… she's…!"

"Fate." Nanoha said firmly, adjusting Fate's head gently so they were looking each other directly in the eyes. "Things are different this time. You have friends, and you have a family… a _real_ family, that loves you. If you want to go out, hunt down your mother and pay her back for all the horrible things she did to you, all of us will be right there beside you. If you… you want to try one more time to reach her, reconcile, then as much as we don't think she deserves it, we'll still be right beside you for that too. If you want to forget about the problem, call in sick, and take a vacation to somewhere tropical while we deal with things _for_ you... well, you've earned it." Nanoha said, putting on a small smile as she said this last point and being rewarded by a somewhat strangled chuckle from the blonde girl. "Whatever happens, whatever you choose to do, just remember that all of us are by your side. I'm here. You're not alone _._ "

Fate fell silent for a moment, closing her eyes.

Then she giggled.

"How… how do you always know what to say?" Fate said, tears falling freely down her face from the highly improbable combination of mirth, joy, and sadness.

"It's probably a trade-off. In exchange for not having enough sense to listen to her doctor." Said a sweet, cheerful, and yet somehow horrifying voice from behind Nanoha.

The two girls froze, and slowly turned towards the source.

Shamal smiled. She smiled beautifully. There was not the slightest hint of anything but joy and warmth in her expression. And yet… and _yet…_

"Miss Nanoha. If I recall correctly, was I not in the middle of addressing your wounds?" Shamal asked warmly and pleasantly and terribly.

"Y-yes…"

"Then why, may I ask, did you leap up off the table in the middle of a sensitive spell casting? It was quite unwise, I'm afraid." Shamal said, her voice so sweet it could decay teeth. Nanoha was inexplicably stricken with soul-deep terror. "The backlash caused by the spell's sudden collapse could have been dangerous, you know. Fortunately, I was able to ensure that it was not, but there is always a risk with even the safest medical procedure, magical or otherwise. You know that."

"I… I… I'm s-sorry…"

"You might have even reopened your wounds and begun bleeding again. That would have been unpleasant for everyone. Honestly, young lady, that earnest attitude of yours is a very charming quality, but you simply must learn to take care of yourself better. Helping others is very noble, but you have to consider your own needs from time to time." Shamal said, her smile only getting sunnier. Nanoha couldn't help but think of the time when she was five and she had broken her mother's favorite vase. That was the last time she'd felt such a sensation of 'I know she'd never hurt me for any reason, so why am I still afraid?'.

"I… I didn't…" Nanoha muttered almost inaudibly.

"And of course, I understand how excited you are to talk to Miss Fate, but she needs her rest more than you realize. She nearly died, and her treatment and recovery isn't complete by any stretch of the imagination. So while I realize you mean no harm, even getting her excited like this when she needs as much rest as possible could be a serious problem." Shamal said. She wouldn't have looked out of place in a calendar, holding a basket of kittens and smiling, the perfect example of a wholesome, beautiful girl-next-door. Nanoha could barely breathe through her dread.

"… … … I'll come back and let you finish now." Nanoha said softly.

"Good girl." Shamal said cheerfully, leading her away.

Fate blinked a few times, wondering vaguely if she'd ever see Nanoha again.

"Shamal can be rather imposing when she tries to be, can't she? Never underestimate the kind ones." Said another familiar voice.

Somewhat embarassed, Fate realized she'd never actually looked at the next bed over, she'd been so caught up in her own awakening and her thoughts of mother. She turned her head and looked in that direction now.

It was entirely unfair, she thought, that even with bed-hair and wearing nothing but bandages and a hospital gown, Signum _still_ managed to be perhaps the most dignified-looking woman she'd ever seen. "When I saw Shamal, I was expecting to see you... just not in _here_." She said.

Signum did not quite smile. "Whatever impression I might have left on you, Testarossa, I _can_ be damaged."

"I'll admit it _is_ a bit hard to actually imagine you being seriously hurt." Fate said lightly. "So what did happen?"

Signum thought for a moment. "Hmmmm... multiple lacerations scattered over most of my body; only a few of them were deep enough to reach bone, though. Some rather severe burns, both electrical and fire. My arm was broken in two places and nearly cut off. I was partially impaled, though that one wasn't so bad since the wound was cauterized shut. I believe I was mildly concussed when she threw me into the ground. Oh, and Laevateinn lost his sheathe."

Fate's jaw dropped. _She... she... that should kill someone, shouldn't it? Shouldn't that kill a person?_ And yet, the older woman looked, right now, as if she'd taken a nasty spill off a bicycle at worst. She didn't even seem terribly uncomfortable, in sharp contrast to how Fate herself felt.

Signum seemed a little puzzled by her expression. "Is something wrong? Is this about the sheathe? Because I'm informed Miss Atenza has the parts needed to replace it, and the order should be done within the week, so it isn't too great a concern."

"You're... that's..." Fate shook her head in amused amazement. "Never mind. It's good to see you again, Signum."

"My thoughts exactly, Testarossa."

" _Please go back to sleep, young lady..."_ Shamal said from the next room in a warm, nurturing voice that sent chills down Fate's spine.

Signum shuddered. "Please, Testarossa. For all our sakes, listen to her."

* * *

 

"Agent Aston," Lindy asked gently. "Could you please, perhaps, explain what you mean by 'screwed' before my son has a coronary?"

"Of course, Admiral. My own incident was, as mentioned, a little over five years ago. We... and by we, I mean of course myself and several other _highly qualified_ administrative assistants. Really."

"I'm sure they were truly impressive typists." Lindy said solemnly.

Talia smirked wickedly. "And they could make great coffee, too. So anyway, we were involved in an investigation of an individual by the name of Carson Dyane. He was... a nasty piece of work, frankly. Weapons, narcotics, the occasional sale of sentient beings? Basically, if it was illegal, he probably at least had someone in his payroll who did it. 'Scum' was an understatement. Problem was, he was also a veteran senator on Administered World #17, Rienne. The representative of the largest and most prosperous population sector, even."

Lindy winced.

"Yes, that's how most people react. The local government and law enforcement were completely in his pocket, so it wasn't too hard for him to crush the evidence of his dealings locally, and unfortunately he was clever enough to recognize this and do _all_ his dealings locally. Enforcers had managed to get ahold of a few of his off-world contacts, but the Bureau couldn't connect them to him directly enough to officially touch the guy."

"So Intelligence decided to _un_ officially touch him?" Chrono said.

"No, actually. We lucked out when a mining operation on his continent unearthed a Lost Logia, and he attempted to hide the discovery so he could sell it on the black market. We'd already been investigating him, so we were able to find out about the artifact before he could hide the find completely. Even better, the trial pretty much _had_ to take place off-world, so we could cut him off from his power base and nail the bastard."

"Oh. I'm sorry I assumed..."

"Don't be. Your 'assumption' was Plan B."

"Ah." Chrono said. The famed Intelligence Service pragmatism. It wasn't exactly unknown in the more 'open' branches, but it was still nothing you expected to be discussed in public, and Chrono didn't care for it. But then, another little detail was also biting at him that had nothing to do with morality...

"If he was brought down legitimately..." Lindy said, as if reading Chrono's thoughts, "Why did I never see a case report?"

"Because he was not 'brought down'. Or rather, he brought himself down before we could intervene." Admiral Mizetto interjected. "If you did hear about Senator Dyane, it was probably hearing news of his suicide. But even that wasn't considered major news anywhere but Rienne. He was, to the rest of the Bureau, nothing but a local official after all."

"He killed himself?" Chrono asked, his tone making it clear he didn't believe this.

"Of course not." Tiala Aston said, her voice acquiring an edge of bitterness. "The man was wealthy, well-connected, and had a horde of lawyers. Even if he was obviously caught red-handed, he'd try to fight it. It had to have been staged. And before you ask, it wasn't us. I was the coordinator for that mission, if a kill order had been given I would have been the one to pass it down to the field agents. We were going to stop him nice, and fair, and in the open. All we had to do was _watch_ and make sure he didn't bolt until it was time to call in the Enforcers with their bright shiny magic wands to bring him down in high style."

"And the artifact?"

Tiala smiled coldly. "Why, there was no artifact. Clearly it was only a rumor in the first place; he'd obviously been trying to cover up some other, unrelated illegal activity and we overzealous peons had mistaken the activity for attempts to smuggle an unregistered Lost Logia. Or at least, that's the explanation that our superiors handed us for why it completely disappeared without a trace."

"That sounds... unlikely."

"It's _impossible_. We found the dig site, for God's sake! We _know_ that something large was removed from it, and we _know_ that the miners that excavated it received an enormous government contract shortly afterward in spite of the fact that we _also_ combed their storehouses and know they didn't excavate any useful minerals to speak of! They get rewarded for finding nothing? Not likely! They were paid to stay silent, and _he was the only one who could have authorized it!_ We _had_ him!" Tiala snapped. "And then someone got in, took the Logia, and killed the guy. Worse they somehow did it without us noticing."

Chrono's expression darkened. "Almost as if someone was seeing everything you saw and had access to all of the information you had, and therefore knew exactly when and where to move in order to get past you."

"Well, at the time, we didn't quite comprehend exactly what was going on, but yes... we assumed that it had to be an inside job. Either someone on the field team, me, or our direct superior had to have been behind it. It made sense. Maybe Dyane had someone on the inside who decided to shut him up and destroy the evidence, or maybe his buyer had the mole and wanted to get their new toy before we stepped in and took it. And since I couldn't trust anyone on the team now, I decided to dig around a little myself. I found..." She paused, maybe for dramatic effect. "... very, very little. Maybe one or two things of value, in five years of looking. And finding information is my _job_."

"... oh." Chrono said.

Commodore Bentz chuckled. "You look a lot like your father. He had that blank, underwhelmed look a lot too."

* * *

 

Yuuno sighed. "Still nothing?"

One of his more reliable assistants ('reliable' in that he had at least figured out that you shouldn't put the texts back on the shelves at random) raised his goggles and shook his head sadly. "Sorry, chief." He said, reaching into the apparatus in front of him and withdrawing from the central glass chamber a small, dull green gem identical to the ones used by the invaders, different only in that it lacked the inner light. "I've tried every scan I can think of, but the inner mechanisms have degraded so much that I can't get any useful data on how to interact with the active ones."

"No, no, that's fine. It's not your fault; we knew going in that not everything we've recovered would turn out to be useful." Yuuno said reassuringly. "This might have been a Lost Logia once, but at this point it's no more useful or dangerous than a marble. Head back to the stacks and start helping the others search through the older texts. Especially look for any symbols or writing that seem similar to the ones I've shown you, even if it's only a slight resemblance. Anything is better than nothing, and nothing is what we have now."

"Right, chief. ... er, before I go..."

"Yes?"

"I've heard some of the others talking, and they said... well, there's some talk that we might be dealing with..." the young man (Young? He was probably at least ten years older than Yuuno) swallowed and said, with shining eyes, "... do you think we've _really_ found Al Hazard?" He didn't mention the obvious addendum to that thought, 'And they're trying to kill us?', which just showed that everyone is a _little_ willing to ignore their own safety for science.

"We haven't _found_ anything. Hence the research." Yuuno said mildly. "Besides, until I know more the best answer I can give you is a resounding 'maybe'. There's some evidence to that effect, but there is also some evidence against. It is your job to find out which evidence is correct. So..."

"Right, chief!" the young...ish... man said, getting to his feet and walking briskly back into the main library from the side-chambers Yuuno was examining the confiscated artifacts in.

"Ah, to be young and excited and... older than me." Yuuno said fondly to no-one in particular. Honestly, he couldn't blame the man. If you talked to a layman about archaeology, the _first_ thing that would come to their mind was the words 'Al Hazard'. Anyone would be excited. Heck, even Yuuno himself was starting to get his old energy back as he looked over the assorted items that had been found in the ruins. It appeared to have been a supply depot; most of what had been brought back looked to be mass-produced equipment for colonization purposes; containers to keep food fresh, water purifiers, survival knives, nothing terribly unusual. But just studying it, seeing something so old with his own eyes, observing how even things as simple as these most basic of objects had changed as time passed and civilizations rose and fell, picking through what had come before and just _learning_ for the sheer sake of learning...

It was what he lived for.

A slightly mousy young... relatively... girl poked her head into the room. "Um, chief, I was looking for Vilianni's _Compendium on Runic Transcription_ , and it's not on the shelves where it should be... and neither is the archive entry on known Lost Logia dated at 20,000+ years old... and neither is..."

Yuuno sighed. More and more, it seemed his job was getting in the way of what he lived for, these days.

* * *

 

Chrono rubbed the bridge of his nose to fight off the growing headache.

"Yeah, Clyde did the exasperated look pretty often too." Bentz said. "Anyways, finding nothing is a big thing when you're looking for corruption. It's my specialty, and 'follow the money' is the biggest rule. Not all good traitors are _after_ money, but almost all of them _need_ money, and if you want to pick one out of a crowd the money is where you look."

"Right, except there _was_ no money." Aston said. "No suspicious deposits or withdrawals from the accounts of any of the team members, but that's to be expected, none of them were stupid."

"So from there, you branch out. Look for family accounts. Find descriptions of individuals who _look_ like the suspect; they might be aliases. Does the suspect own any stocks? Check the company for strange transactions that seem to not be going into or out of particular projects." Bentz said.

"Check, check, and check. Still nothing."

"Oh, a creative one. Yeah, Graham was good at that too... he assembled that Durandal by overestimating the required funding of every project he oversaw by .5%, over a period of nearly a decade. Then when it came time to return excess funding, he would fudge the books and only give back about half of it. Just took a little bit every time, never got greedy, never got impatient... brilliant stuff. Brilliant _man._ Nobody suspected a thing until his Familiars got caught, and even then proving anything would have been insanely hard if he hadn't confessed to it all and gotten a deal..."

Admiral Mizetto sighed. "Commodore. It would be preferable if you didn't sound quite so _impressed_ by the crime."

"Sorry, Admiral. It was just _really good_ crime."

Talia Aston blinked a few times. "If I might be allowed to continue?"

"By all means, Agent." Mizetto said.

"Thank you, ma'am. Now, as I was saying, I didn't find any indication that anyone on _my_ team was betraying us. Now, I'll grant you that a truly incredible mole leaves the same trace as no mole at all, but at the very least it seemed possible that something else was going on. So I decided to check the equipment, to be on the safe side... all of it checked out safe enough... except for one thing. One of the bugs we placed. It was hidden inside the sole of the target's shoe, so it couldn't transmit often without being detected by his security. But when I examined it, the remaining battery life was almost used up. Which doesn't make any sense unless it was transmitting almost constantly. This, I should not have to point out, makes no sense. If we could have transmitted constant data feeds through his security, we would have, believe me. And when I tried to access the data it recorded during this unauthorized sessions, the program informed me there had been no unscheduled activations. So my own blasted equipment was doing something it couldn't have done, and then lying to me about it."

"It was tampered with?"

"It must have been, though I couldn't tell you how, frankly. And the more I looked, the more... and less... I found. There were other pieces of equipment that had shown signs of being active without authorization. Even... and this is really, really scary... some of the Devices the field team were carrying. Storage devices, that's one thing, but even the surveillance chief's Intelligent Device had an inexplicable blank spot in it's memory. But no matter how I dug into the programming or examined the mechanism, I just couldn't find a _reason_ for it. It was like..."

"Like most of your own equipment had been turned against you without you even noticing?" Chrono said. "I think I can relate."

Commodore Bentz narrowed his eyes. "All of it? That makes no sense whatsoever. Look, I know we're here because we were worried that someone had managed to infiltrate the _Asura_ , and judging by the way it was done, there were implications that the perpetrator had a 'back-door' into most of the fleet. But... I mean, there's limits. 'Most of the fleet' was already bad enough. Are you suggesting these people managed to infiltrate as far as... as tapping individual _listening devices_ that might well have never even picked up anything of value? And without leaving any real evidence? It's just not possible."

"Agreed." Lindy said. "But it seems to be happening despite its impossibility. So how do we make the impossible possible?"

"Well... okay, I guess maybe Devices are possible. Your average Device is probably turned over to Bureau mechanics for maintenance at least once a year, and someone could probably access it then if they were clever."

Chrono's eyes widened. "Commodore, sir, about the jamming barrier you put up..."

"Don't worry. A side-effect of working in Internal Affairs is a tendency to begin assuming that all of my co-workers are a pack of corrupt murderers just waiting to get me." Bentz said dryly.

"That'a a bit unfair. A person doesn't have to be corrupt to hate Internal Affairs. Or you." Lindy said mildly.

"Yes, thank you, Lin, we really _must_ get together more often. My _point_ is that nobody does maintenance on this guy but me. Now, where was I?"

"Impossible possibilities."

"Right, right. Okay, devices are tricky, but doable if you can catch them with the AI shut off while they're getting maintenance. Ships... not as easy. Even when they're in drydock, they have crew and technicians all over the place, and it would be a rarity to see anyone in less than a group of five or six. If you're welding down a deck plate and burn your hand off by accident, it's nice to have some assistance nearby. Someone skulking about by himself would be spotted pretty quickly. And don't even get me _started_ on the logistics of what Agent Aston is suggesting, that someone went around altering _individual listening devices_."

"Look, you think I don't know how it sounds?" Talia said. "But it happened, and I can't think of another explanation!"

"Can't?" Lindy asked, although her eyes were fixed on Admiral Mizetto's rapidly darkening expression. "Or don't want to?"

"... ... ... what do you mean, mother?" Chrono asked, breaking the long silence that came up.

"I mean that, logistically, it only becomes impossible if you think 'infiltration'. It certainly wouldn't be possible to alter so much equipment unnoticed. But if you think about it, the changes we've found have all really just been programming, haven't they? No physical changes. So... what if they aren't actually 'changes'? If the bits and pieces of code are actually programmed into everything right in the factory."

And the silence came right back.

"You... could...potato...mutton..." Bentz began.

"I could what?'

"Sorry, I was just saying random words because what you've described is _utterly insane_ and it took me a few seconds to wrap my head around it _."_ Bentz said.

"I'll admit, the scale is still a bit difficult to grasp. But at the very least, suborning the basic manufacturing processes of our suppliers would require a great deal less time and manpower than individually modifying every piece of equipment. And really, they'd only have to deal with the companies that handle our computer equipment, and even then only the ones that make the parts that go into the specific types of tech they're interested in being able to override. It's... not _quite_ as absurd as it sounds, if they have enough resources behind them."

"Do you have any idea how tight the security inspection for new equipment is? Factory-new is the _worst_ possible time to tamper with anything!"

"Unless there's a hole in our inspection protocols to make them miss the altered programming." Lindy said.

"An intentional... Lin, that's even _worse_. You're suggesting, what, that all of our day-to-day processes in every department are set up in such a way that we'll miss this infiltration?"

"I've said it once; don't think 'infiltration'. I don't think it is one." Lindy said. "Maybe it's not an outside party, or a traitor in the ranks. Maybe someone is doing their duty."

"A... what, a 'Department of Treachery'? They punch in their time-cards in the morning and spend the day ruining other people's operations, nothing personal, just a job?"

"These two cases have more in common than compromised equipment, remember. Agent Aston's statements suggest that whatever the nature of the artifact her team was to recover, it was benign enough that common miners had managed to safely store it. So we can say that both cases involved Lost Logia that appeared, at least to cursory inspection, to be largely harmless or controllable." Lindy said. "The study of such artifacts could be beneficial to the Bureau as a whole, wouldn't you say?"

"Well, I suppose, but..."

"But," Lindy said, her tone growing more excited, "This organization doesn't work like that. The entire reason for our existence is to prevent the recurrence of tragedies caused by the Lost Logia. Even items that _seem_ harmless are still treated with extreme caution and stored in remote facilities for years, even decades before even the most controlled attempt to activate them is made. Most never see the light of day again. So what if a department was set up, off the books and separate from all other divisions, to collect such artifacts before they can be lost in the red tape? And the reason their existence is secret would be obvious as well; even if it is 'for the good of the Bureau', it's still illegal as sin. Tell the public that we're following in the footsteps of the fallen old worlds, even halfheartedly, and you'd have rioting in the streets."

"Admiral... mother..." Chrono said, "I... what you're suggesting. For them to have corrupted us to the degree you're suggesting, they'd have to have been around from the beginning. As if the Founders said to the public, 'All right, here are the laws we'll be using to protect you' and then turned around to a few people they'd hidden in the corner and said 'And here's everything you'll need to break those laws with impunity, and remember that you're a secret so feel free to shut up the witnesses if you get spotted'. I can... look, I can handle being decieved. I've learned to deal with that. But you're suggesting that the Bureau was _built_ on a lie."

"Not entirely." Lindy said reassuringly. "They never made a play for the Jewel Seeds, or the Book of Darkness. At least they seem to acknowledge that some of the Lost Logia are in fact too dangerous to use and have to be isolated. But think... our current crop of problem children? Their magic system is only _slightly_ different, their devices are only _slightly_ more advanced. Even the most potentially powerful artifacts they've interacted with have shown no signs of being anything but perfectly controllable. From the perspective of the sort of person I've outlined, wouldn't it seem like a waste not to take that and put it into use as soon as possible?"

"And if there's a trick to it that we don't know, and putting it into use causes a dimensional tremor or some other catastrophe?"

"Chrono, I'm outlining what I believe to be their line of thought, not suggesting for a second that I agree with it. Lost Logia are restricted artifacts for a _very good reason_. If something can potentially destroy entire worlds, it's best not to poke it and see what happens." Lindy said soothingly.

"Admiral Mizetto... sir, what do you think about this?" Chrono asked. The undercurrent of _Please, tell me this is a misunderstanding,_ in his voice was fairly obvious.

Mizetto sighed and closed her eyes. "I won't lie to you. The Founders were... complicated individuals. Great men, yes, but many great men are not especially good men. It would hardly be the first time that a politician said one thing and did another."

"But... I mean, you were _there._ Could you have missed something like that?"

Mizetto smiled wryly. "I was rather busy at the time, Captain. You may recall that we were attempting to build an interdimensional law enforcement agency from the ground up and convincing a great many individuals, some of the quite stubborn, that it was worth listening to? Everything was chaos in those days, a mad scramble for funding, for manpower, even for the simple knowledge of what we were trying to _do._ You think interdepartmental rivalry is bad now? Believe me, the occasional squabble between the Navy and the Ground Forces is _nothing_ compared to the good old days when most people weren't even certain which department was supposed to be handling which case. If someone was quiet and patient, they could set up the framework for a shadow cell during the chaos. Funding comes from the Logia they snare, reverse-engineered and patented as original inventions, totally off the Bureau records. It's not certain, of course, but it's a possibility, and a compelling one."

The old woman closed her eyes in contemplation for a moment, and when she opened them, she seemed a different person, the iron in her eyes impressing upon all those present exactly why this woman was a living legend. "As I said, our founders were complicated men. If they really... I can only hope they did not, or that if they did, the situation evolved beyond their expectations and control. In the end, however, I find that I don't truly care.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am offended. I am offended to think that an organization I helped build has been compromised by the very sort of monster it was created to stop; those who pursue the legacy of the old worlds and consider the lives of others to be meaningless in the face of that pursuit. But this time, the Lost Logia they hunted was able to stand up and fight back, and they have been forced further into the light of day than ever before. And if they continue to hunt their prize, they will eventually have to step out even more. I propose that when that happens... we do _our_ duty, and drag them out kicking and screaming to face justice. Agreed?"

And the only response from anyone in the room was, "Yes, sir!"


	21. Ancient History, Advanced Class

Admiral Mizetto blinked a few times, then smiled. "Oh, my. How forward we all are! You might note that I have not, as of yet, thought of any way to actually go about _bringing_ our new friends to justice."

Lindy shrugged. "Well, we have a few options. For starters, Amy is very, very annoyed with what these charming folks have done to her ship. I'm certain she would not object to being handed the resources and permission to find some way around it, and that girl is a miracle worker if you give her some room to exercise her creativity. And of course, we are still dealing with a situation wherein the prize they're after is mobile and combat-capable. We don't know what they're doing, exactly; the last appearance they made was very brief and not in keeping with their suspected objectives, but at the very least we can assume they'll show up the next time our other problem group shows their faces. When that happens... well, I know for a _fact_ that our Enforcers would dearly welcome the chance to thrash them, and they're typically quite good at taking people alive. We might gain some valuable evidence if we manage to take one of their pseudo-cyborgs."

Talia smirked. "And a genuine, intelligent field agent would basically be an early Christmas. In the meantime, would it be a horrible imposition if I gave your Amy some assistance? Between the two of us, we might know almost enough to actually get something accomplished."

"Wouldn't it look suspicious if we just stopped by headquarters to pick up a new secre- administrative assistant?"

"Meh. Officers always have paperwork, right? It shouldn't be too noticeable. Besides, I actually do make a _damn_ fine cup of tea."

"You're welcome aboard my ship." Lindy said, just a tad too quickly. It was then, almost as an afterthought, that Lindy said, "Oh, and by the way... what should I do about the Wolkenritter situation?"

Mizetto smiled just the tiniest bit wickedly. "Oh, my. We may have to punish you for this flagrant violation of Regulations." She said. And she really did say it just like that; Chrono wasn't sure how she managed to capitalize Regulations with just her voice, but she did it. Perks of admiralty, perhaps. "Commodore?"

Commodore Bentz made a great show of stroking his beard. "Admiral Lindy Harlaown, you have quite obviously committed a serious violation of Bureau law by releasing several highly dangerous fugitives into a sensitive field operation. However... since I'm the person that Admiral Mizetto assigned to your case, and since I know for a fact that you saved lives with your actions and that the 'highly dangerous' fugitives are unfailingly loyal to one of the least antagonistic girls I've ever even heard of, I think we'll just commit our own serious violation and sweep this under the rug. Leave them assigned to your unit and call it 'temporarily remanding them into your authority for protective custody', or something to that effect."

"That's true, in a certain way." Lindy said. "Someone is in custody and someone is getting protected. The fact that _they_ are protecting _us_ doesn't really change that, so we're not _really_ deceiving anyone..."

"If Hayate's people are sticking around, we really ought to arrange a more in-depth briefing than 'here are some people, hit them with your hammer'. We do, on top of all the other assorted madness, actually have some criminals to apprehend." Chrono said. "You want me to handle it?"

"You and Yuuno. Send him a message asking for everything he knows, even if it is still theory." Lindy said. "I know scholars prefer accuracy, but at the very least we should all know all the possibilities."

"And what will you be doing?"

Lindy smiled. "I'm going to catch up with Admiral Mizetto and Commodore Bentz. You know, chat with my old friends."

Chrono sighed in despair. "You're going to be coming up with evil schemes, then?"

Lindy continued to smile.

"Could you... could you at least tell me about them before you enact them this time _?_ It would be nice if I knew about your plots _before_ knowledge of them became essential to my continued survival." Chrono begged.

Lindy kept right on smiling. "What plots?"

"Amy is right, isn't she? You really _are_ doing that just for fun."

"Doing what?" Lindy asked, the very picture of innocence.

"...I'm leaving now, Admiral."

"Who's leaving?"

"Dammit, mom..."

* * *

 

Yuuno resisted the urge to grab a book from the shelves and throw it at his assistants, but only because he was pretty sure they would immediately pick it up and misfile it.

"Really, people! When you access data, put it back where it _belongs!_ Note that where you _found_ it is not always where it belongs, and neither is the first random spot that catches your eye! That's the reason this place is nigh-unusable without advanced divination! The Scrya clan elders weep!" Yuuno said. Technically that was not true, but he felt it sounded slightly better than the truth, which was something along the lines of 'they are laughing at me and it is your fault'.

He hated being like this, he really did. Confrontation was not his thing. But honestly, the scholar in him would allow nothing less. There are things you simply do not _do_ in a library, things that simply are _not_ acceptable. Do not damage the books. Do not use the books as coasters. _Do not misfile the books._ Oh, what he wouldn't give for a handful of real researchers instead of a pack of over-enthusiastic and under-trained students...

"Having fun, sir?" A warm feminine voice said from behind him.

"Eh? Oh, Agent Alpine! Good to see you again." Yuuno said, inclining his head to her as she floated up towards him on his perch in one of the crisscrossing-walkways that stretched through the library.

"Sir, please, you can call me Megane. It feels strange to be called by my rank from someone who's not technically an officer." The tall, violet-haired Investigator said in cheerful exasperation. Despite the fact that Yuuno had been chief librarian for only a few months, he'd still managed to strike up a friendly acquaintance with the veteran agent simply by virtue of the fact that she seemed to stop in to look up _something,_ either for business or pleasure, at least once a week. Yuuno liked her. She read a lot, and it was a rare librarian who wouldn't consider that a check in the 'plus' column.

"And I've told you not to call me 'sir', but you never listen." Yuuno said in much the same tone. "So I guess we'll just have to agree to disa- _Corva! That tome doesn't go there! It belongs in the reference section with the other texts on dead languages! Really, people, what did I **just say?** \- _gree."

Megane blinked. "You seem a bit stressed, sir."

"A bit. I presume you're here to continue rifling through this chaos for information on cybernetics? I'm sure there's something useful somewhere around here, but as always I can't guarantee you'll be able to find it, and unfortunately I can't help you look this time."

"I see that." Megane said, taking in the assistant record keepers floating from shelf to shelf in a cloud of texts. "Wounded in action? This case must be pretty significant if they have a section chief doing field-work."

"And your case must be fairly significant if you still have to look up data for it even though you're supposed to be on leave."

"Technically I don't _have_ to, but every little bit helps, sir. As long as I'm still on maternity leave I can't help with the active investigation, but I can still dig through the archives and see what I can find." Megane said cheerfully. "Combat Cyborg development is hard to accurately trace since the crime isn't the actual cybernetics, but how they're being used. The parts are all over the place and most of them can be bought from legitimate suppliers. Still, if we're clever about it and very, very lucky we could pick up the latest big operator before he gets too dug in. Quint's practically foaming at the mouth. She says that from the size of some of the shipments we've intercepted, it's got to be even bigger than the lab she found Gi... the last big operation we hit. She thinks we might even be onto Scaglietti himself this time."

Yuuno nodded. The name was familiar to him, of course. A brilliant expert in cybernetics, genetic engineering, and who-knew-what-else; his transcendant genius marred somewhat by the fact that he was also a dangerous lunatic with a habit of using said expertise to think up new and exciting ways to cause wanton destruction. "And what do you think?"

" _I_ think that even if it isn't, if we can save some kids from being made into human weapons, then we've done a good thing, sir." Megane said with a gentle smile. She then continued in a hushed tone, as if the words embarrassed her, "… though I'll admit that nailing that monster would really brighten my day."

"Well, as always, we're not exactly in perfect order, but you're welcome to whatever you can find. Seekers of knowledge are always welc- _Lantis! I swear, if you are putting a tome on the Hegemons of Shutra into a shelf for Modern Midchildan History, I will fire you right now! And why are you even looking up Belkan states from the Sankt Kaiser era?! I said **ancient,** people! Hundreds of thousands of years!- _ome here." Yuuno said.

"Er… yes. Thanks." Megane said a bit nervously. "Oh, do you mind if I check that one out too? Just a little light reading. Lutecia wore out my old copy on the Shutra dynasty."

"Certainly. Oh, and I'm glad to hear your daughter is taking an interest in history. Let her know she can visit here whenever she wants." Yuuno said offhandedly.

"She's a great fan of ancient civilizations, sir." Megane said solemnly. "They use the best glue in the bindings."

"... I feel that I missed out on some details here."

"My daughter is nine months old, sir. Maternity leave, remember? They gave me some extra time because I'm a single mother, but even then it usually doesn't last until the baby is old enough to read." Megane said mildly.

"Oh. Then... er... when you say she 'wore out' your book, she was…"

"Chewing on it, yes. I like to think it means she'll grow up to be a connoisseur of fine literature just like her mommy."

"Well... um... how is she?" Yuuno asked rather lamely. "Any... ink poisoning?"

"She's happy, healthy, and curious to the point of being a danger to herself and anything small enough to fit in her mouth." Megane said proudly. "And smart, too. She can already say 'mama', 'milk', and 'bug'. That's above average, you know. I just wish her father was there to see it..."

Yuuno's eyes widened as the words 'single mother' finally caught in his mind. "Oh... I had no idea. I'm sorry for your loss."

"... ha. Hahahahaha... heehehehehee... HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Megane suddenly fell into helpless giggles. "O-oh... thank you, sir, b-b-but he isn't... heeheehee! He's not _dead_ , sir! Though he acts stiff enough to be, sometimes... hahahaha!"

"... oh. I'm sorry again. I just assumed, and I..."

Megane smiled wistfully. "No, no, it's my own fault. The situation is... let's say 'complicated'. We're not exactly a couple, you see. It was more of a one-night thing, and it was not the most well-made decision. Alcohol was involved, you might have guessed. I don't even know if he _remembers_ our time together, and I _do_ know he hasn't figured out that the 'result' is his. And... I... can't tell him. I know I should, I know he'd want me to, but I can't afford to distract him now, with the case in full swing like this and real leads just starting to show up for the first time, and..."

"So... so her father is related to your work somehow?" Yuuno said. He got the feeling quite quickly that he shouldn't have.

"... ... ..." Megane said, her face going ghostly white. "Books! I came for books!" And with that, the woman practically dove off the walkway and into the stacks.

"Ooooooo-kay…" Yuuno said. Well, at least maybe now he'd be able to focus.

"Excuse me, Chief Scrya." A masculine voice rumbled from about three inches from his ear.

"GAH!" Yuuno said, jumping halfway out of his skin. He tried to whirl, found that his blasted wheelchair couldn't spin that fast, and settled for sort of turning at the waist. "Z-Zafira?! What are you doing here?!"

"I have two assignments. First, Chrono Harlaown asked me to tell you that he would like you to brief the crew on the situation in two hours, with whatever information you have."

"Well, at the moment that's barely more than I had before. I doubt two hours will change much. Honestly, given the age of what we're looking for, I wonder if two years would change much..."

"He understands, and says that he'll be content with whatever you have found combined with your best guesses. You can continue researching afterward." Zafira confirmed.

"Well, all right. It sort of goes against my instincts, but I can understand where's he coming from. Okay, what was the second reason?"

The Guardian Beast actually looked slightly confused. "Well… Miss Arf suggested I should come to your assistance." The Guardian Beast said. "She said that she would have done it herself, but that she could not leave Miss Testarossa's side and that I would be a suitable substitute."

"… … … why?"

"I'm afraid her logic was somewhat fuzzy. She seemed to believe that you would require her aid because... well, I didn't truly understand, but her exact words were, 'that's our thing. There's a fight, and then we hang out together. If I can't be there, then at least I can send the next best thing'. Do you understand what this means?"

"... it means that she's an odd, odd woman. Though I suppose fuzzy logic from a fuzzy girl is appropriate." Yuuno said. "Well, I guess we really could use all the help we can get. I'll teach you sort of a watered-down version of my personal search magic, and oversee your look through the texts."

"Very well. Oh, she also asked that I slap you for mentioning 'pulling a Chrono' in front of Captain Harlaown, a course of action I believe she considered extremely foolish." Zafira said. "I have chosen not to."

"Thank you very much." Yuuno said.

* * *

 

Precia narrowed her eyes in annoyance as she looked in the mirror. Bruises were already fully-formed around her eyes and neck, and the burns were annoyingly stubborn as well. It wasn't that she didn't _know_ any healing magic; she knew all there was to know and more, thanks to the nature of her research. The problem was that she had, unfortunately, little natural ability for such spells and had to compensate with raw power. Power she was, at the moment, still short on.

She supposed she could have made use of the local medical facilities, but Precia was absolutely the sort of person who would rather be in pain than in the debt of someone she disliked, and...

"Precia, we need to talk." Enlil said, forcing the door to Precia's laboratory open without knocking.

 _Think of the brat, and she shall appear_. Precia thought. "I risked my life today, so whatever you're here to accuse me of..."

"What do you know about Al Hazard?" Enlil said.

Precia blinked a few times. "... I'll confess that isn't what I was expecting to hear."

"Believe it or not, the universe does not actually revolve around you. Though at the moment, it may 'actually revolve' around something you _know,_ so talk! Come now, I'm encouraging you to show off the fact that you're more knowledgeable than I am. You usually enjoy that."

Precia shrugged. "Al Hazard... it's considered by most to be a myth, but there are hints to the contrary. Particularly, many Lost Logia that seem to share enough common design aspects that they likely emerged from a common source, and are both too old and too advanced to have originated with the Belkan Empire, even at its height before it fell apart into warring states. The general consensus is that there was, at the very least _, some_ highly advanced magical civilization that pre-dated Belka, and which collapsed under disastrous circumstances. My own personal theory was that it had fallen into a dimensional rift and ended up here; my original motivation for the spell to pierce the void was to arrive at Al Hazard. And... frankly, I was under the impression I had succeeded, or at least found part of the basis for the myth. The architecture, the technology... there are a number of similarities between this world and many of the ruins attributed to Al Hazard."

"Yes, there would be... either way, unfortunately." Enlil muttered. Then, more loudly, she said, "Precia, this world fell into the void at roughly the same time that the Empire as a whole collapsed. If the ruins were from us, any working technology recovered from them would have been around the level you've seen here. I think you have a working idea of what we're capable of as civilization, correct? So in your professional opinion, looking back at these ruins... how many of them were really left by us?"

Precia wasn't sure what, exactly, she was seeing. Enlil was... generally speaking, Precia had come to the realization that if Enlil was showing a strong emotion, she was probably faking unless something world-shaking had just occurred. Those buffoons she insisted on surrounding herself with seemed to be the only ones who she actually exposed her genuine feelings to with any regularity. And yet now, she seemed... nervous. Afraid, even. And Precia's gut told her the reaction was genuine.

"... uncertain. It's difficult to tell, particularly considering that certainly many civilizations rose and fell in the intervening millennia, and many of them could have based themselves off your own. All of them have been put under sort of a blanket label as 'Al Hazard' since so few details have been uncovered about their history." Precia admitted. _Why am I being so helpful?_ She thought.

Enlil sighed and said, "The particular technology I'm thinking of would be... on the extreme side. Comparable to the Dimension Drivers at least, most likely more powerful. And more dangerous, by far."

Twenty-one tiny, green-blue gems danced in Precia's mind's-eye. "Yes. Some artifacts like that have been uncovered."

Enlil practically growled, "No, no, _no!_ It is them, it has to be! Is there one single gods-damned piece of ancient garbage that _didn't_ last to the modern day?! All right, now for the important part: what is _done_ with these machines? Are they still used, are they put into production? Oh gods, if they are, we might as well give up right now..."

Precia laughed bitterly. "Please! I'm a wanted criminal largely for my pursuit of one. Those that actually function are almost universally uncontrollable. They're sealed into Bureau storage facilities when they can be extracted without destroying them outright."

Enlil let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank the gods. That's about as good an answer as I could have hoped for. You're absolutely certain, correct? Because I'm not exaggerating when I say that absolutely anything that can go wrong _will_ go wrong when those maniacs get involved. A single Reality Engine could undo everything that we've worked for over the past year."

Precia arched one eyebrow, curious at this point in spite of herself. Whatever else may come, it was impossible to take the scientist _completely_ out of her. "What, exactly, do you _know_ about Al Hazard? What is your connection to them?"

Enlil shuddered. "They were mostly before my time... well, they were never really before or after anyone's time, since no matter how thoroughly you quenched the fire a few embers still refused to go out. But we used to tell our children stories about them, just like you. Only they were along the lines of 'the Al Hazardi will come for bad little boys and girls and drag them away in the night, so you had better behave'."

Precia considered this. "And I take it they acquired this reputation for a reason."

"Mostly their habit of actually dragging people out of their homes in the middle of the night. Not only children, of course... they needed a good variety of test subjects, and every experiment was different." Enlil said softly. "Look at it this way, Precia: I'll admit to having done some rather unpleasant things to you. I legitimately didn't ever plan for things to go the way they have, and still feel you're overreacting about the whole situation... but in the end, I really am using your daughter's safety to blackmail you into my service, there's no denying that much. I did this because I'm not a very nice woman. I don't make a habit of it, but I can be very, very cruel when the situation demands it of me.

"And it is because I am _only_ cruel when I have to be that you should be happy you found me instead of Al Hazard. At least I can be convinced to give your daughter _back_."

* * *

 

"All right!" Vita said enthusiastically, taking her seat at the conference table. "Who do I need to hit?"

"Calm, Vita." Signum said.

"I'm calm. You see how Eisen isn't in active mode and breaking stuff? That's me being calm."

"... fair point." Signum admitted.

"Er... Miss Signum..." Nanoha said.

"Yes?"

"Should you be out of bed?" It seemed a sensible question to ask; Fate, Arf, and Hayate were still quite bedridden, and Signum had been hurt more badly than any of them. Even Nanoha, who'd gotten off comparatively light, was feeling that a few hours of napping would be wonderful, but also felt that it could wait until after the meeting. She didn't want to miss anything.

Signum seemed mildly confused. "Why do people keep asking me that?"

"... never mind."

Yuuno, speaking over a video feed from his office, cleared his throat. "Er... if we're ready?"

"Go ahead, Chief Scrya." Chrono said.

Yuuno's eyes narrowed. "Why are you being so... respectful?"

 _Because it's more fun to mess with your head in person. Teleconferencing just lacks that personal touch._ Chrono thought. "Just trying to maintain decorum." Chrono said.

"... it's weird. Stop it."

"Well, if you insist. You're a ferret."

"Better." Yuuno said, nodding once. "All right, this is going to be kind of informal, so we'll handle it informally. Start with what we know, go on to what we think, and finish with totally unsubstantiated theory. Chrono?"

"First, the indisputable facts: three Lost Logia, buried on three separate worlds, have been activated by mages of as-yet-unconfirmed origins." The screens projected into the air above the table took on images of Tsukuyomi, Susanoo, and Amaterasu. "Their base of operations seems to be located outside of inhabitable dimensional space, and... judging by our latest encounter, they appear to have gained the ability to freely enter and exit this space thanks to the actions of one Precia Testarossa."

It might have been Nanoha's imagination, but the woman's face appearing on the screen seemed to make the room a little less bright.

"The devices they're activating are extremely large-scale, powerful teleportation mechanisms. Their purpose for doing so is unknown, but what we _do_ know is that they have achieved these activations and prevented our tampering with the devices in question through the use of other Lost Logia; small gemlike artifacts stolen from a Bureau vessel that confiscated them from a piracy operation. Five such gems were recovered, meaning that unless they have a supply of their own, our targets can only activate one more Gate."

Vita's eyes narrowed. "Your math is a little off there."

Nanoha interjected, "One of them was taken by a third party before it could be used. We don't know where it is."

"Third party?"

"We don't know much about them, other than... suspicions that they might be connected to someone inside the TSAB." Chrono said, choosing to omit the majority of the details. Those could be shared later under more secure circumstances.

Vita snorted at that. "So... what, you people just go out of your way to only hire traitors?"

Chrono stared at her. Just stared.

Vita arched one eyebrow. "I don't intimidate easy, kid."

Signum said, " _Vita._ Show some respect to our hosts," In a tone that might have legitimately made frost form on the conference table.

"Er... I mean... um... continue the briefing." Vita said, a good deal more softly.

"Thank you." Chrono said. "There isn't much else we know for certain, beyond a basic threat level of the identified criminals. We know for a fact that Precia Testarossa is considered a SS-ranked mage, but be aware that's largely due to a lack of formal combat experience; the rank was first civilian, then in application to her criminal threat level. She is not a trained battle mage, which means that her rank is, disturbingly enough, _lower_ than her power would merit if she were. The other three are less certain, but they've consistently demonstrated abilities ranging from the AAA- to S range..."

"That one is higher." Signum said, pointing to Amaterasu's image. "I only faced two of them, but she was definitely more dangerous than the other."

Vita rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but you were hurt before she ever showed up. It's not like you'd lose in a one-on-one match otherwise."

Signum remained silent for several long seconds. "I'm not sure about that, actually."

Vita's eyes widened. "Oh. Damn."

Nanoha blinked a few times. "Is... is that so bad?"

"Takamachi... I don't think you or Testarossa realize exactly how _much_ Signum was holding back when we were on opposing sides. If she'd really been going all-out, your buddy would be a smear on her sword."

"You exaggerate, Vita." Signum said modestly. "Testarossa is sharp, and strong. It wouldn't be that simple... well, I guess I could say that I'd win about seventy percent of the time, but that's all..."

Nanoha's eyes widened and turned back to Amaterasu's image. "Oh. Wow. That much, huh?" Then, after a few moments of thought, she continued, "Actually, looking back, something seemed off when I was fighting her myself. She definitely withstood at least one thing I would have bet my life nobody could have."

"You mean your psychotic attack that shredded half the continent with rock shrapnel?" Vita asked dryly. "I missed the show, but I sure saw the aftermath of _that_. You devil."

"Y-you exaggerate, Vita." Nanoha said. For some reason, it didn't sound as impressive as when Signum said it... probably due to the fact that Nanoha was blushing furiously. "Anyway, I'll agree she's probably the leader, and the most dangerous one."

"I can't estimate her real abilities for certain. Both of us were damaged when we fought, and her personality made it hard to pin down how much effort she was expending." Signum admitted. "Still, I can at least say her threat potential is rather high."

Chrono nodded. "We'll tentatively label her as an S+ then, and put on a note that she seems to be a unit commander of some sort. Now, let's move onto the things we don't know for sure. Scrya?"

"Okay." Yuuno said. "Before the last battle, I'd managed to acquire some limited data from the AI in one of the Gates the enemy have been activating, and between that and the artifacts we recovered from what we believe to be an old supply depot of theirs, I believe I've assembled a fairly accurate portrait of their civilization.

"They were an multi-dimensional nation, similar to Ancient Belka, and unfortunately that isn't the only thing they had in common; from what I can tell, they were apparently a very expansionist and militaristic nation as well. The translation is probably not exact, but they referred to themselves as the 'Empire of Infinity', or 'Infinite Empire'. Yes, I know, it sounds a little silly."

"Of course." Chrono agreed. "It's a silly name."

"Isn't it, though?"

"It's not as though _we_ would use similar hyperbole when naming something." Chrono said with a perfect deadpan.

"Of course we…" Began Yuuno Scrya, librarian of the Infinity Library, before trailing off slightly. "… I hate you, Chrono."

Vita made a sound suspiciously like she'd started laughing in the middle of swallowing and consequently choked on whatever she was drinking. This was in spite of the fact that she hadn't been drinking anything.

"Right. Okay. Moving on." Yuuno said. "First, concrete evidence. They were, as mentioned, an interdimensional empire with marked similarities to the old Belkan empire. Their government seems to have been primarily monarchist; multiple references have been found to 'the King of Twilight', and while there are also hints of a parliament beneath him, he does seem to have been more or less an absolute dictator. But the most important thing, I think, is the sheer scale of this nation. The maps I've found thus far seem to suggest that at the height of their power, they oversaw a territory in excess of twelve-thousand inhabitable worlds and far more uninhabitable, spread across assorted dimensions."

 _That_ got some attention.

"How… how many do we have, again?" Nanoha asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

"A lot less than that." Vita said dully. "I mean… geez… even if you count non-administered worlds that are just _watched_ instead of directly run, the Bureau oversees what, a couple hundred?"

"No civilization we have on record has ever matched the sheer scale of this... how they managed, I have no idea. The infrastructure required to maintain a territory of that size is simply mind-boggling." Yuuno agreed. "Which makes the abruptness with which updates to the system AI stopped all the more confusing. You see, from what I can tell, this Gate, and the Gate on Earth, and the supply depot that these artifacts were located in… all of them ceased to be maintained within a few months of each other."

Signum's eyes narrowed. "That would be a rapid decline for an empire limited to a single world. For an _interdimensional_ empire to fall at such a rate…"

"…Implies they didn't actually 'decline'. They were basically wiped out overnight." Yuuno said. "What caused this, and what happened to the remnants, however... nothing. We have only the most basic of records, and nothing in them has any hints as to the Infinite Empire's last days. What happened is anyone's guess."

Nanoha sighed sadly. "Well… we can guess where at least some of the remnants went."

"Right, though how they've survived this long is, again, anyone's guess." Yuuno agreed. "And now for the part that I can't back up or truly explain. Along with the maps, I downloaded a list of worlds that were accessible by their internal Gate network. And on this list was... well, again, the translation could have been flawed, but it appeared to be a world named 'Al Hazard'. Actually, 'Al' seems to have been common prefix for planet names, since it popped up much more often than..."

Chrono blinked once. "Yuuno." He said, cutting off the ramble before it could begin. "As fascinating as a lecture on planetary naming conventions would be right now, I have noticed a minor detail in your statement."

"Yes?"

"You are suggesting that Al Hazard is _real_."

"Well... yes and no."

"... I swear, ferret, if you don't want me to punt you the next time you turn to your animal form, you'll start making sense."

"Okay, it's like this: what you mean by 'Al Hazard' and what a professional archaeologist or historian means by 'Al Hazard' are two very different things. The golden world of miracles where the impossible is possible? There's never been any evidence that such a thing existed. But there _was_ a very powerful, advanced civilization that predated the Belkan empire, and 'Al Hazard' is the commonly accepted name for them in the archaeological community."

"So you're saying this... Infinite Empire..." Nanoha began.

"Could not _possibly_ be them." Yuuno finished.

"Eh?"

"They're way, _way_ too old, for one thing. There have been a lot of records lost, but we do know that the Belkan empire was founded by remnants of what _we_ call Al Hazard, and that this happened within the last few thousand years. The survivors of Al Hazard couldn't possibly have founded Belka if they'd fallen over two-hundred millennia ago!"

"Then what? What is going on here?" Nanoha asked.

"That's what I'm confused about." Yuuno said earnestly. "Their writing is similar, their technology is certainly plausible, even the architecture I managed to see through that portal... all of it is consistent with 'Al Hazardian' ruins. It _screams_ Al Hazard to me. And yet everything I know about history tells me that it can _not_ be Al Hazard! Honestly, not even really a precursor to Al Hazard! The time frame is just too far off! But they _have Al Hazard written in their territory list._ Right there, in big red letters!"

"Why red?" Vita asked.

"... I... I don't know." Yuuno admitted. "None of the other names on the list are in red. Why did I not think of this...?"

"You were tired and had other things on your mind." Nanoha offered instantly. She was _good_ at making people feel better about themselves.

"Red is a pretty traditional color for 'danger' wherever people bleed red." Vita said. "You said this is a list of all the worlds in their territory? Maybe they weren't happy with that one."

"That's... disturbingly possible." Yuuno admitted. "Like I said, we're all just theorizing here. Your guess is as good as mine."

"So... looking at it realistically..." Chrono said, "Whether they're Al Hazard or not... does it actually change anything? At all?"

"Well... in a sense." Yuuno said. "For one thing, it totally upends our understanding of Al Hazard in general... it would mean their history is completely different from what we'd thought. Remember when I said I was writing a book about this case? It's rapidly becoming a series."

"... what I meant," Chrono said, trying very hard to keep the growl out of his voice, "Does it change anything in regards to the _case_ , not your _career._ "

"It does present," Yuuno said, somewhat icily, "the possibility that if we start beating them too badly, they will decide to go with the tried-and- true 'if I'm going down I'm taking you with me' strategy and use some sort of horrible, reality-collapsing weapon of mass destruction. Which Al Hazard _might very well actually have_."

"... okay, that's something to watch out for." Chrono admitted.

"Could be a problem." Vita agreed.

"We might want to prepare for that." Nanoha said.

"So I presume we're to stay on high alert, then?" Signum suggested. "Since we seem to be restricted to a reactive position, all we can do is make sure to be ready when the time comes."

Chrono nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. We most likely have at least a day or two, so everyone should take this time to rest and prepare... but be ready to move at a moment's notice. For all we know, we may be back on the battlefield within the hour."

**_Nine days later..._ **

Nanoha sat, staring into space. Sometimes she twitched a little bit.

One of Arisa's puppies waddled up to her and licked her nose. She did not appear to notice.

Arisa looked at her with some combination of pity and amusement. "Another long stretch of nothing happening while you have to stay on high alert?"

"You might say that." Nanoha, who had spent the last several days mentally prepared to leap into battle at any time and vainly trying to relax despite this, said glumly.

"Er... how is Fate?" Suzuka asked, trying to take her friend's mind off of the current situation. That may have not been the best way to do it, but it's the thought that counts.

"Better. Not one-hundred percent, but better." Nanoha said. "She was hurt pretty badly, in a lot of ways. Arf's been by her side the whole time, and I spend as much time as I can with her, but she's still pretty exhausted and depressed. But at least I don't think we need to worry about her falling apart any more. She's getting better, little by little."

Suzuka smiled slightly. "She's a strong girl."

Nanoha smiled herself. "Yes. She's so quiet and gentle that sometimes people tend to forget _how_ strong. She's weathered worse than this, and as long as we're all there for her, she'll be fine."

"I'd still like to punch her mother in the face." Arisa said.

Nanoha considered this for a second. "The line for that just keeps getting longer..."

* * *

 

Enlil looked at the results in the impression that, possibly, if she stared at them hard enough they would change.

No such luck.

"This is bad." She said, once again looking over the world data.

"Not as bad as it could be." Amaterasu said supportively. "It could be Midchilda! Then we'd really be dead."

"It's still an administrated world! We've had enough troubles with non-member and unpopulated planets, how are we going to handle the Bureau in one of their own holdings?!" Enlil snapped.

"We could just wait for the next one." Susanoo suggested. "I mean, we were gonna go for five, total, right? So there's others we could find."

"We've taken too long as it is! We can't afford to wait any..." Enlil began.

"Lil. Calm." Amaterasu said soothingly. "Dear, really, you need to cool off and think for a moment. You've already been under a lot of stress, and that Al Hazard scare pushed you over the edge. Just remember; in the end, it came out to nothing. Those old ghosts are gone, and nobody understands their works well enough to use it against us."

"Y...yes. Of course." Enlil said, taking a deep breath. "You're completely correct, of course. I suppose I allowed myself to become... impatient. It's just... ugh, Al _Hazard_. Again! And the technology survived! I cannot _abide_ by the thought that some idiot janitor in a Logia containment facility could brush up against the wrong button and ruin everything!"

"To be fair, that was always a possibility with anything that Al Hazard built. You could never quite get past that lingering threat that anything the Thought Lords invented that was larger than a toaster would collapse dimensional walls if you put the batteries in backwards." Amaterasu said, almost fondly. "Look, Majesty. If you insist on us moving at this Gate, this quickly? Why not give our 'allies' a call. They promised aid, let's see what they can do."

"I still can't believe we're actually working with these people." Susanoo grumbled. "In _my_ day, when someone sent cyborgs to kidnap me, that meant they were the bad guys."

"Susa, I know you don't like it, but we agreed to do this. And by 'we', I'm including you, you might recall? Also, what are you yammering about 'your day' for? You're younger than me, so by definitition any day that was yours was also mine, and I certainly don't remember any kidnapping cyborgs in any of _my_ days." Amaterasu said.

"... ... ... ... shut up."

"Yes, that's what I thought. Silly puppy. Still, I suppose talking before you think can occasionally beone of your cute points, so I'll overlook it." Amaterasu said cheerfully. "Majesty? Why not give it a try. If we're going to form a backhanded pseudo-alliance based on lies and mutual distrust, we might as well take advantage of it."

Enlil, seeing no particular reason not to, activated the communications device again. As before, a map appeared, and as before, coordinates were revealed. Also as before, she opened the link and explained the situation.

Things began to be rather different at that point, though.

" ** _Ah, Rienne... it's been awhile. Yes, that should be fine. We can move whenever you're ready._** " The Director said. Even through the voice altering, he sounded almost cheerful.

Enlil blinked. "Are you certain? This is... well, I mean it's a Bureau world. The security will be significantly tighter than..."

" ** _Oh, believe me, that won't be a problem. Actually quite the opposite... a Bureau-controlled world gives us access to addtional resources, and this world in particular has some history with our organization. And, of course, they'll have had exposure to magic. If we can manage a silent insertion, your agents won't draw much attention. We might actually be able to prevent another huge, wasteful conflict from breaking out."_**

Susanoo blinked a few times. "How about a medium-sized wasteful conflict? I mean, don't get me wrong, I have no problem with the _theory_ of quiet and subtle. Plus, the team assigned to us is full of interesting people, and I promised Ammy I would try to kill them, so if we could avoid fighting them at all until that changes, it would be nice. But I've found that, in practice, things in the field tend to go wrong a lot. So we should probably go in assuming we're going to be fighting _something_. Probably several somethings."

**_"Well, yes, we'll have a combat team prepared. They'll rendezvous with you on-site, then go under cloak until they're needed."_ **

"Oh, good. I mean, it's nice that we'll have some idea where the gun is pointing from when you betr-" Susanoo began. At this point, he was interrupted by Tsukuyomi elegantly and discreetly driving her tiny fist into his spine.

" ** _Excuse me?"_**

"Nothing." Tsukuyomi said mildly. "Nobody said anything, and everyone here is perfectly professional and intelligent. How are you?"

 ** _"I'm... fine._** " The Director said, some level of confusion audible even through the voice-altering.

"That's nice. I am also doing well. Well, actually, I suppose if I were to carefully examine my situation, it would be rather poor by most standards, considering the twisted nightmarish realm of darkness I am currently inhabiting. Still, I am functioning normally and my brother and sister are here. It feels odd to complain when I have my health and family. Many don't even have that much, you know." Tsukuyomi said.

**_"I'm... happy for you? Look, we ARE preparing for a major operation, so is this really the time for small talk?"_ **

Tsukuyomi closed her mouth, and did not say anything else whatsoever. A casual observer might have had a hard time spotting if she was breathing or not.

" ** _... ... ... can you still hear me? Did the connection cut, or...?"_**

"But you just requested that I discontinue conversation..." Tsukuyomi said in mild confusion.

" ** _Well, yes, but not ALL conversation, we still have a considerable amount of planning to do. Are you absolutely SURE you people know what you're doing?"_**

Tsukuyomi considered this for a moment. "Yes?"

**_"What? Was that a question? Do you know or don't you?"_ **

"Maybe? I might know? But I'm not sure? It's a complicated question?" Tsukuyomi either said or asked. It wasn't entirely clear.

" ** _That... were those more questions, or were you answering... you don't know if you know? I... I'm not even ..._**... **_Would it be possible for someone else to take over this discussion? Anyone? Anyone at all."_** The disguised voice sounded as though it couldn't decide to be angry or sad.

Enlil, through the use of her years of training and experience, did not laugh. On the outside. "Yes, of course. Let's get down to business, shall we?"

" ** _Oh, thank God."_** The Director said.

"For starters, we'll need two sets of coordinates. Where to meet your people, and where to put our world."

**_"Eh?"_ **

"We'll need some place to put the planet once we've gotten it out, of course. The original dimension is gone. You don't have to worry about that; I've picked a nice vacant spot. If you like, I can provide the coordinates." Enlil said helpfully.

The Director briefly considered the fact that Enlil would not be offering this data unless she felt it would do him absolutely no good to know it. Still, better to have it than not. **_"That would be tolerable. Likewise, I'll send you the meeting coordinates once I've finished briefing my field team. It should transmit within the next ten minutes or so."_**

"I'll look forward to it. I'll be sending my three main guardians, and... hmmmmm... I'd prefer not to send Precia, frankly. She might be needed here; once the Gate is claimed or it becomes obvious it won't be, I'll be initiating the Rebirth immediately. She understands the process as well as I do, if not better. If something goes wrong, she should be here to give me a hand."

"Also, she's somewhat unstable, doesn't work well with others, and is unfortunately prone to totally losing her damn mind over certain stimuli." Amaterasu said.

"Well, yes, but I wasn't going to say that out loud." Enlil admitted. "Now, the Bureau has some method of detecting our entry, so..."

 _" **We should be able to do something about that. With any luck, we can indeed make this a truly covert entry."**_ The Director said reassuringly.

"Well... if you can't, it's not as though we'd be any worse off than if you didn't try. Ten minutes until operation commencement, then?"

 ** _"Ten minutes, and we enter the final phase. Stay at alert and await our next transmission."_** The Director confirmed.

Enlil smiled. _Ten minutes, and we can finally get started._


	22. Anything That Can Go Wrong...

As with the majority of things that end up going horribly wrong, the Battle of Rienne began simply enough.

As per usual, the dimensional tear opened, the sunny plains of Rienne briefly marred by the black rip in the fabric of reality.

The destabilization was more than sufficient, under normal circumstances, to trip the constantly running sensor program maintained by the _Asura,_ immediately sending the enforcers on-board scrambling to battle stations to combat the incursion. However, this time, a new factor was in play.

Section Black had existed as long as the Bureau itself had. Despite this, their infiltration of the TSAB's core systems and processes was not exactly absolute. In point of fact, it wasn't terribly widespread at all. Section Black didn't _want_ to interfere with the Bureau's day-to-day workings on a huge scale. They were, in their own sick way, trying to protect the TSAB as an institution. Every decision was weighed in terms of costs and benefits to the Bureau as a whole; what was worth more in the long run, two talented enforcers, or superior weaponry for _all_ soldiers? Proper justice for a corrupt politician, or access to a valuable artifact and the secrets it represented? They didn't have feelers in every system, they didn't have spies in every unit, because officers of the Bureau needed to be able to work smoothly, for the benefit of the organization.

Of course, it helped that their job didn't really require it anyway. Really, how many departments actually worked with Lost Logia? Cases dealing with the artifacts of the Lost Worlds were the highest priority, and cases dealing with the criminals who trafficked in them were the most sensitive. Most of the Bureau was a simple peacekeeping force, honestly; cases dealing with legitimate Lost Logia were almost invariably shunted to a few specific departments. The front-line naval combat ships, their associated enforcers, and Intelligence field teams. They were the hands and eyes; the ones who found the artifacts, went to the site, and collected them. All you really needed to be able to do was see what they saw, and the ability to slow them down just enough to take it before they could, both of which could be achieved by controlling the output of their equipment. The military had dozens of suppliers, of course, but not as many for the sort of equipment that needed to be compromised. Ships were simple; the central AI managed all the systems, and if you could infect that you had the ship. Field teams were harder... mostly you had to settle for the surveillance and tracking devices, and hope you could use those to spot a window.

As for getting to those items themselves... well, businesses were just as open to bribery as everyone else. Moreso, actually. A component here and there that did not do what the blueprints claimed it did. An extra program or two worked in when the final code was written. In exchange for an unfair advantage in being offered military contracts courtesy of the Founders, the right five or six suppliers would be all-too-willing to make a few small alterations to what, exactly, they supplied. The changes weren't even that extreme; Section Black did work directly for the Founders. They had all the access codes to pretty much everything. All they needed was to make sure those codes could never be traced back to them.

Thus, when the Section Black agent overseeing the current operation used the backdoor into the _Asura's_ systems and ensured the sensors wouldn't react to the dimensional tear, and by extension never alert their Enforcers to the nature of the they had no reason not to believe it wouldn't function perfectly. It had, after all, worked perfectly for over six decades. They'd received no indications that anyone had even found out about the nature of the infiltration. And even if someone did, certainly no ordinary agent could have had the skill or resources to get around it.

* * *

 

Amy Limietta, a very extraordinary agent if she did say so herself, smiled the most evil smile imaginable.

"I do believe it's time for the test run." She said.

Talia Aston couldn't disagree. To the untrained eye, it might look as though they had mated a metal octopus to the _Asura'_ s main computer, but that was just the end result of them being, in her professional opinion as an intelligence analyst, _totally awesome._

The problem had not been mechanical, they both agreed; they had found no hardware that wasn't in the factory specs. Amy knew machines, she would have spotted any parts that were _that_ out of place. So it had to be a programming problem, and they'd begun working under that assumption... but then, they'd not found anything wrong with the software, either.

So Amy had brought up the point that, if the problem started in production, would there be any signs of anything wrong? It would all be according to factory specs, because the factory specs were themselves incorrect. And so they had come to the conclusion that if the problem was that deeply ingrained, the only viable solution was to start from the absolute beginning. A new processor, one they could be absolutely certain was not compromised, would be needed. But how? They couldn't reliably have one brought in from off-ship, Intelligent Devices didn't have the processing power to handle the combination of magic and tech that made the ship computers work, and besides only the Wolkenritter's could be trusted right this moment and they were Armed Devices, with even less capacity.

So they decided to build what they needed.

They had gone down to engineering, grabbed every spare part they could carry and a few they couldn't (thank God for Ensigns to boss around), and cobbled together a reasonable facsimile of a backup server. And programmed it with enough of an operating capacity to handle a segment of the _Asura'_ s absolutely enormous data load. By themselves. Even writing the code. They'd had to bring in a mage for the spells required (Admiral Lindy had volunteered), but beyond that, they'd done the whole damn thing by themselves; personally inspecting every part to ensure nothing got in that they didn't want in, personally programming a cheap but still painfully, annoying complicated facsimile of an operating system.

They hadn't slept much, lately. Coffee had become less of a beverage and more of a constant companion.

As computers went, it was not really military grade. More power than an intelligent device in the computing department, but still not even a tenth of the ship's main computer. But it wasn't truly intended to _replace_ any of the main systems. It was more like... a supplement. Actually, a 'filter' might be more accurate. It would take a place between the primary computer and one (unfortunately, only one. It couldn't handle the load of more than one system at a time. Maybe if they'd had a few more weeks to work...) major system, processing the information that this system took in and released... but processing it _cleanly._ The current test was the most important; the long range sensors. It would, if it worked correctly, 'scrub' the data they took in, processing and removing any alterations and delivering the clean data to the display. If that worked, then it was just a matter of adjusting which system was being shunted through the backup; in-depth site sensors, teleporters, whatever they happened to need at the moment. It was sort of a blunt solution, but if all went well, it should give them access to all the major systems they needed to manage the case, albeit only to one of them at a time. They would still be pretty inefficient, overall, with the need to switch out the input and output every time they wanted to change which system could be reliably used... but at least that would be better than last time.

When the traitors had crippled her _Asura,_ during the first attack they'd made... Amy hadn't felt that useless in awhile. She knew she would never be one of the heroes, out in the field, risking their lives. But she'd always taken comfort in the fact that she was looking over their shoulders, giving them the assistance they needed to do their job properly. In her opinion, that was even more satisfying in some ways; it made her feel like she was defending the defenders, looking down on them from on high like a sort of guardian angel. And this angel had _not_ enjoyed having her wings clipped.

Amy smirked and powered the thing up. It made a sound not entirely unlike a combustion engine; Talia made a mental note to make sure that overheating didn't become an issue. It was sort of an inelegant contraption. Amy, however, was considerably less worried.

"All right, all right!" She said cheerfully. "Screens up, sensor control is registering to the backup drives... I do believe we're in business, as long as we keep it simple. We'll test teleport later... we can use Chrono as a guinea pig, he won't mind. As long as we don't tell him."

"I have to admit, you're a genius."

"Yes, I know," Amy said humbly.

"No, I'm serious," Talia said. "I never could have put together something like this on my own. You have a real gift."

"I'm serious too." Amy said. "I _am_ a genius."

"... oh. I thought you were joking."

"If I were joking, I would have said something hilariously untrue, like 'I am _not_ a genius'." Amy said. "Hee, hee, hee! See how unrealistically funny that is? I love it."

Talia shook her head. Were all fleet agents this odd? Certainly none of them were like this in Inte... the Secretarial Corps. "Hey, what's this reaction? I'm not familiar with these readings." She asked, pointing a finger towards the screens. Anything to change the subject.

"Oh, these two feeds represent what the different computers are processing. The right screen is what the main server _thinks_ the sensors are detecting, and the left is what they are _actually_ detecting according to our backups." Amy explained.

"Oh. So the main computer, which is compromised, thinks the sensors are not detecting anything of significance." Talia said. "And the backup server, which is not compromised, thinks they have detected the dimensional rift that signals the beginning of an attack."

"Right, that's what..." Amy began cheerfully, before the implications of this cut her off mid-sentence. "Um, we should probably tell somebody about that."

"Seems like a good idea."

* * *

 

"Oh, nice place!" Amaterasu commented, her gaze scanning the Rienne countryside. "Sunny, temperate... I wonder if they've got any decent beaches?"

"Very nice. The oceans here are really more like large lakes, though, so don't expect much in the way of waves," A soft voice said from behind her.

Susanoo smiled. One instant Ammy was cheerily looking over the plains, the next she had the man who'd chosen very unwisely to sneak up on them on the ground at her feet. At spear-point. He hadn't seen her move _or_ release her device.

Annoying as she was, he had to admit Big Sis was pretty cool sometimes.

"Ouch..." the man said mildly. He was, physically, perhaps the least interesting individual Susanoo had ever seen. Not particularly tall or short, not especially heavy or thin, not well muscled but not exactly weak-looking... he was simply, utterly, bland. Even his hair was brown. Not sandy-brown, not chocolate-brown, not brown with a slight blond highlight when the sun hit it; just basic, blah, unappealing brown. "We're supposed to be on the same side, you know. Kill me and the deal is off."

Amaterasu smiled. "Sorry. Instincts. Besides, shouldn't you be a little more capable? I thought we were meeting a combat team here."

The bland man smiled. It looked as though someone had painted a smiling face onto a mannequin; completely artificial and so boring that Susanoo sort of hoped Ammy would bring the spear down just to make him more interesting. "I'm just the contact man. The team you're here to meet..." The man began.

Tsukuyomi looked up. "There."

Her siblings followed her gaze to the top a nearby small outcropping of rocks... where eight identical black-clad figures stood silently. And by 'silently', it might be more accurate to say 'they were not even breathing'.

Susanoo blinked a few times. "... I would swear that those things weren't there five seconds ago. I forgot how good their stealth systems were."

Amaterasu narrowed her eyes. "Why only eight? Is that going to be enough for this operation? Twelve didn't do a terribly good job last time."

The bland man's smile did not grow the slightest bit more natural-looking. "Those were search and capture models. Designed to take in dangerous targets intact."

"Intact? They held me still by _stabbing me_." Susanoo protested.

"Fine, designed to take in dangerous targets _mostly_ intact. The models you see here are the heavy combat design. Better armor, more on-board weapons, better tactical programming. Much better suited for a major conflict."

"Hey, as long as they don't stab me, we're square." Susanoo said. "Right, guys?"

The Black Cats turned their heads in his general direction, but did not respond.

"They aren't big conversationalists." the contact said. "Now, there's a few final details to go over, before we commence. Would you stop pointing that thing at my throat so we can cover them?" He asked, pointing meaningfully at Kagutsuchi.

"Oh, fine, if you're going to be a baby about it." Amaterasu said, pulling the spear back. She reached down one-handed and lifted the man bodily back to his feet.

"Thank you. Now, you've all been cleared to give orders to the Black Cat units, but do keep in mind that they won't accept commands that would endanger the mission, and we can revoke your access at any time. Beyond that, they'll kill who they're commanded to kill without remorse or hesitation. Oh, and we're on a clock because the insertion was detected." He finished, almost as an afterthought.

"... ... ... I really, truly wish I could say that surprised me." Amaterasu said. "What happened?"

"Details are still coming in, but at this point it doesn't really matter. We've been detected, and we'll have to compensate; first of all by moving up our timetable."

"Yeah, except we don't _have_ a timetable because _someone_ informed us that we could make this entry undetected." Amaterasu grumbled. "Tsuku, start your search, we're going to be up to our eyeballs in dimensional police in about ten minutes."

"Well," The contact said, "I wouldn't go _that_ far. We've received no indications that our diversion of local authorities was anything but successful, and as for the _Asura_ herself, well... it's too late to stop them completely, but it would be a mistake to assume that we don't have some back-ups in place. There are options."

* * *

 

"Is there anything in particular we should know about this world?" Was the only question that anyone asked. Signum, specifically; somehow, she seemed to be the one who should be asking things. Nobody was exactly sure why, Signum just gave off an air of super-competence. If you asked a question that she hadn't already asked, then it was probably a stupid question.

"Only one major thing: it is inhabited. An administrated world, in fact. It's not exactly next door, but there _is_ a major city relatively close to the zone we'll be landing in." Chrono said grimly. "We cannot allow the battle to spill over into it. We've sent word to the local government, but it's a city of five million. They've started drawing civilians away from the edges of the city, but there's absolutely no way they could manage to get the entire population evacuated or into shelters quickly enough, so it's up to us to keep that from being necessary. Take them down hard and fast, fight two or more to each one of them, and be aware that we're anticipating interference from... third parties, based on the unsuccessful cyberwarfare attack earlier. The faster we can accomplish this, the better."

"All right." Hayate said, "Then the sooner we get going the better as well. Rein, let's..."

"No." Shamal said.

"... eh?"

"No to you." Shamal said, pointing to Hayate. "And no to _you_." She continued, pointing to Fate.

"But-!" Fate began.

"Shamal, I-" Hayate began.

"No means no, girls. I allowed you to attend the briefing, but that is as far as I am allowing you to proceed. Doctor's orders." Shamal said firmly. "Miss Testarossa, your barrier jacket was pierced by an assault spell, followed shortly by electrocution. You were closer to death than you perhaps realize. Honestly I would recommend you take a month off, though I recognize that to be wishful thinking. I will not, however, allow you to go back into the field after barely more than a week to recuperate. You may be in acceptable combat condition by some standards, but you are not in _perfect_ condition. Your reflexes and ability to channel magic reliably could be affected, and mages have been killed by smaller handicaps."

"I understand you're concerned, but I can't just sit back when my friends need me." Fate said firmly. "I've gone into battle before in worse condition than this."

Shamal raised one eyebrow. "Are you actually attempting to use the fact that your health was frequently neglected, for months at a time, _less than two years ago..._ as a reason for why you _should_ be sent into a combat situation?"

"... ... yes. Well. When you put it like that..." Fate said, her firm and confident tone no longer quite so firm. "... but I want to help..."

"Fate," Nanoha said. "Don't worry about us. We'll be fine, and I'll personally feel a lot better knowing you're safe."

"Nanoha, we don't even know for sure what's waiting for us." Fate said. "I need to be there, in case..." _In case Mother is there,_ "... in case the situation is worse than we expected."

"Testarossa!" Signum snapped, showing more anger than she normally allowed into her tone. "I understand, truly. But if you are slowed down by your condition, then you'll be a detriment, not an assest. We have more than enough power to accomplish the task at hand, with or without you. Rest."

Nanoha realized it was probably for the best, but she couldn't help but feel a little jealous of the way that Fate seemed to merely sigh in resignation and sit down. _Why does everything sound more convincing coming from her?_

 _"_ Hey, my body is fully repaired. How about I just take on more of your mana?" Arf said. "It won't be as good as having you there with us, but it should up my effectiveness."

Fate smiled. "Well... I guess if that's the only way I can help, it will do."

"Good, that's one settled. And now..." Shamal said, her gaze turning to Hayate. This would be the annoying one.

"You can't order me to stay behind, Shamal. I prefer to think of you as my family, but that doesn't mean I'm not your master." Hayate said.

"Of course not, mistress. I wouldn't think otherwise." Shamal said sincerely. "I just want you to tell me how this feels."

She took her hand and pressed one finger gently into Hayate's leg just above the knee. The results were rather morbidly fascinating, honestly.

Hayate's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, and her skin seemed to grow a shade paler. "F-fine." She said, somewhat unsteadily.

Shamal sighed. "And this?" She said, moving her finger about an inch up Hayate's thigh and pressing in with slightly more force.

"F-f-f-fine." Hayate said through obviously gritted teeth. Her breathing was noticeably faster and more shallow. "D-doesn't... ugh... hurt at all."

"Mistress..." Shamal said softly. "I know you want to be with your knights. I know you don't like the thought of us going into the field without you. And believe me when I say that we all love you for that concern. But you are still recuperating from a life-long ailment, Hayate, and while your injuries in the last battle may not have made your condition _noticeably_ worse, it's safe to say that rehabilitation has been slowed. I'd prefer not to slow it further, if I could."

"I know it's... not ideal, but if I use the Unison program, I can..."

"Hayate," Shamal said, a hint of iron creeping into her voice. "Rein does not heal you. She doesn't improve your condition, she just disguises it. And while she's disguising it, no recovery is taking place. You were afflicted for years with a debilitating curse. Your muscles have atrophied from disuse, the nerves in your legs are have only begun properly regenerating within the last few weeks. You have seen for yourself how sensitive they are, I believe?"

"S-somewh-aaaah!-at..." Hayate gasped.

"The best cure for your condition at this point is _time,_ and if you ever want to be able to walk without magical assistance you _have_ to take that time. If it hadn't been an emergency, I wouldn't have allowed you into the field during the last encounter. Now that we have a surplus of combatants, I'm putting my foot down.

"But, Shamal, I..."

"I am very aware that as your Servant, I cannot forbid you from going. But as the closest thing to your Doctor on this ship, and you being a temporary agent under a parole appointment, I very much can find you medically unfit for duty, and if you continue to insist on hurling yourself into danger I will formally do so." Shamal said, her tone taking on an unapproachable air of finality.

"You should just listen to her, Mistress." Signum said. "Shamal makes up for her somewhat wobbly personality in civilian life by being harder than steel where her patients are concerned."

Hayate sighed in resignation. "I suppose you're right..."

"I'm 'wobbly'? What is that supposed to mean?" Shamal asked indignantly.

"I'm not certain myself. The word just seems to fit you," Signum said frankly.

"If the shoe fits, wobble into it," Vita agreed.

" _Et tu_ , Vita?" Shamal said, traces of annoyance working their way into her voice. "Well, Zafira doesn't think I'm wobbly, do you Zafira?"

Zafira turned away from her and pretended he couldn't understand human language. Nobody here, just a dog...

"Oh _really_. After all the work I do supporting you three, here you are ganging up on me." Shamal said, crossing her arms in a pout.

"I feel your pain." Nanoha said, stepping up to aid a comrade in the war against mild teasing.

"Thank you, Miss Takamachi. The next time you are in my care, you will get a lollipop." Shamal said.

Chrono sighed. "Could we... could we focus? Please?"

"Better now than in the field." Lindy said jovially, sipping her tea.

Chrono turned to her, eyes narrowed. "I'm watching you. I know you have an evil plan and you won't tell me what it is."

"I wouldn't do that." Lindy said warmly.

"Yes you would. You have done exactly that." Chrono said. "From this point on, I'm going to assume you have an evil plan whenever we do any sort of operation together."

"Chrono, you shouldn't talk to our mo- the admiral like that." Fate chided.

"You see, Chrono?" Lindy said cheerfully. "Why can't you be more like your sister?"

"Being the only boy in the family is lame." Chrono muttered. "All right, people. Everyone who is staying here at Dr. Shamal's mercy..."

"Care. They're _in my care,_ not _at my mercy_."

"... please return to Medical with her. Everyone who isn't, prepare for battle. Admiral, please let us know when you've returned to the bridge, and..."

"That will be fine." Lindy said. "Admiral Mizetto has asked to oversee bridge control personally, and she's already on-board."

"... ... ... okay, first of all, _stop bringing VIPs onto the ship without telling me_. Second of all, you _do_ have an evil plan. You do, and she's in on it." Chrono said, eyes narrowed.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." Lindy said demurely.

"Yes you do. Tell me, right now: what will _you_ be doing while the Admiral is commanding the mission?" Chrono demanded.

"Nooooooooooothing." Lindy said in a sing-song tone.

"I... you... I... we... you... oh, you know what? I don't even care anymore. Everyone just get ready to teleport." Chrono grumbled.

* * *

 

In the observation booth, the Section Black operative looked at the readouts in annoyance.

The contact man and the combat team had met with their impromptu allies, that was good. But the _Asura..._ honestly, these people just did not know when to leave well enough alone, did they?

Somehow, the crew of the _Asura_ had managed to circumvent the Section Black protocols on their main systems. That should not have been possible; those subroutines were not simply programs, they were an intrinsic part of the entire system. What had they done, cobbled together an entire backup drive out of spare parts and programmed it personally in a week, without any Bureau standard software? That would just be insane. The Director would be _furious_ when he found out.

Still, there were options. Section Black ran on more than just cyborgs and altered computer code. They were, after all, responsible for the capture and reverse-engineering of stable Lost Logia. It was only natural that they kept a few for themselves, wasn't it?

The vaguely pyramidal device he'd taken from storage was hard to look at directly. Not because it was bright, but because it was just _wrong;_ the human mind didn't process it well. Nobody was exactly sure why... something about the runes, the strange material it was made from, something about the shape (or more specifically, the way the shape always seemed to be _slightly_ different than it had the last time you looked at it). Something about this small mechanism just... didn't work. Didn't fit right into reality.

And to make matters worse, the thing wasn't all that useful. Oh, it _worked_ , it just worked for a very specialized function in a very small window of time. This particular device, you see, altered dimensional currents. Violently. Only for short bursts, and only a few times a day. Nobody was quite sure why; possibly this was not its intended use, or perhaps it was broken. Either way, it had proven sort of useless for almost anything, and had never been released to one of their client companies for public production. After all, the altered currents weren't powerful enough to destroy most interdimensional vessels, and they lasted such a short time that using them to interfere with any spells moving through dimensional space would require advance knowledge of the spell's source location _and_ exactly when it was being cast.

Like now, with the probe observing the _Asura_ reporting the tell-tale signs of energy gathering for a mass teleport, and the on-board computers recommending activation... now. The operative pressed three runes along the sides of the strange device, all of which began to glow a sickly green.

Teleportation was such a sadly delicate magic, wasn't it?

* * *

 

Amy smiled into the flickering screen attached to her inelegant monstrosity. "Teleport functioning as expected, Admiral. Transmission away, and not a sign of interference from _THOSE BASTARDS!"_ Amy suddenly shrieked. "How did they do that? How did they do that? I hate them I hate them I hate them!"

On the bridge, Admiral Mizetto said severely, "Officer, _calm down_. I need a status report."

"The signal's been scattered by something! It wasn't a software thing, this was just a blatant external assault to scramble the feed mid-transport!"

"What happened to the team in transit?"

"It looks like... yes, the auto-safeties kicked in, so they all at least landed on habitable worlds, but they sure didn't land where we wanted them to!"

"Can you compensate?" Mizetto asked calmly.

"I don't know! Maybe!" Amy said. "I'll get working on-"

And then, far away, the Section Black operative assigned to this particular case smiled a bit vindictively and activated another device in his control console. A much more modern one this time.

And on the _Asura,_ there was a loud 'crack' followed by a sudden and significant decrease in ambient volume as a great deal of active machinery ceased to be active. Amy sat in complete blackness for five seconds, until the emergency generator went on to preserve life support and some basic lighting.

"... restoring primary power. Since apparently if they want to, they can just screw subtlety and cut the main reactor." She said. "Why did I not see that coming? Why did I not recognize that shifting secondary functions through a different terminal would just make them attack primary functions?"

"The same reason I didn't: a general lack of sleep combined with the adrenaline rush of thinking you succeeded." Talia said promptly.

"... that was a rhetorical question. And why are you still here? Shouldn't you be with the field team?"

"I'm a data analyst, not a field agent. I'm not even a mage; you just assumed I was because I'm a new person and all the new people you meet are superhuman magical prodigies."

"Fair point." Amy admitted. "Okay then, you're my new assistant here. Let's get to work."

The normally smooth ride of teleportation was a bit bumpier than Nanoha remembered. The shimmering lights that danced before her eyes were noticeably more chaotic and random than the typically uniform white glow.

Oh, and when she landed, she landed hard.

 _"Ow ow ow!"_ She muttered, rubbing her sore bottom. "What just happened?"

"Wark," The penguin said.

"... eh?" Nanoha said, blinking at the penguin. Well, it wasn't exactly a penguin; for one thing, it was bright green, and it had four flippers instead of two. Also, the scenery around her was not exactly tundra; it was rather nice, except for the fact that she was the only one there except for alien penguins.

 _Er... anyone nearby? Can anyone hear me? I think something went wrong with the transmission._ Nanoha ventured, using short-range telepathy. When there was no response, she closed her eyes and drew on her power to send the broadcast wider. _Hello,_ Asura? _Amy, I think something's gone wrong. I don't think I'm at the target zone, I'm all alone, and there are penguins._

 _"_ Wark." The penguin said, sniffing at her dress.

"If you bite me, I'll smack you." She said warningly.

"Wark."

 _Nanoha? It's Fate,_ Said Fate's familiar voice in her head. _Amy's busy, so they asked Bardiche and I to handle communications since most of the systems on the ship are out._

_What? How did that happen?_

_We're still working on that. But the point is; something scattered the feed before the teleport to the target site could be completed. I already talked to Arf, and she's apparently in the jungle somewhere. She already had to fight off some kind of man-eating plant._

_Is she all right?_

_She said that she wishes it had been a man eating **animal**. She's hungry and she doesn't like vegetables._

_Ah. What about the others, then? Nobody got through at all?_

_Apparently not. This is pretty obviously a delaying tactic to keep you from the scene, and we walked right into it. Admiral Lindy thinks they purposefully waited to cut the power so they could disperse the Enforcer team and hamstring our field operations, and I tend to agree._ Fate said. _We're almost totally blind up here, so we don't know your coordinates right now. If you can sit tight for a little bit, we should be able to get you on your way. Are you in any danger?_

The penguin tapped its beak lightly against Raising Heart, then waddled away, apparently satisfied with whatever it had been inspecting.

 _Not at the moment._ Nanoha admitted.

* * *

 

The normally smooth ride of teleportation was a bit bumpier than Signum remembered. The shimmering lights that danced before her eyes were noticeably more chaotic and random than the typically uniform white glow.

Oh, and when she landed, she landed hard.

Smoothly taking the landing on her feet and dropping to her knees to absorb the shock, she examined her surroundings. Rienne was supposed to be a temperate world, with climate not too dissimilar to that of Earth's milder regions across the majority of the planet. She, however, was in the desert. Further, she was alone.

 _What is the situation?_ She asked, transmitting to the command ship.

_Oh, Signum, I just spoke with Nanoha. It seems that there was a problem, and..._

_We're scattered?_

_Yes, that's correct. We're still contacting some of the members of the team, figuring out where you are and how to get you to the target site in time to..._

_Very well. Continue your work; we will act as a forward unit, so reinforce us as soon as possible._ Signum said, cutting off the link. Then, putting power behind the thought, she sent, _Wolkenritter. We're going ahead under our own power. Gather to me, and we'll set up the group transport once we're all here **.**_

 _Do you want me there, too?_ Shamal inquired.

 _Stay by Hayate's side. If the_ Asura _is compromised we cannot leave her defenseless._

_Understood. If you require my aid, just let me know._

Signum severed the link again, and waited. As human mages could be 'attuned' to locations, allowing ease of teleportation, so could the Wolkenritter; attuned to the Tome of the Night Sky, to their Mistress, and to each other. No distance could keep them apart for long if they did not desire to be separated.

Whoever had decided to attempt to scatter them would soon be learning this the hard way.

* * *

 

"It's done; we've probably bought you at least thirty minutes or so. Use it wisely." The very boring man said.

"And you?" Amaterasu asked of him. She didn't honestly care; she got the feeling that whether he stayed or left she'd have forgotten who he was within the next five minutes. She just thought she should be polite.

"Withdrawing. The Black Cats relay everything they see and hear to HQ; if you need further assistance, ask one of them. We'll get to you." He said. His smile was just creepy, now. Thankfully, it didn't stick around very long because he himself left the scene shortly after in that odd, static-burst teleport these people used.

"All right. We have thirty minutes, he said? Well, Tsuku doesn't need help searching, so maybe we should just relax, set up a perimeter, and..." Susanoo began.

"Multiple incoming." Tsukuyomi said. "Three new signatures have materialized inside the scan field. No, wait... four. The fourth is attempting to evade detection, but I believe it may also be running a scan of its own and couldn't completely hide. It might have arrived earlier than the others, I'm not certain."

Amaterasu groaned. "Thirty minutes. Suuuuuuure. Still, if there's only four, I guess they at least managed to split the enemy force. Tsuku, you hold here and keep looking. Susa and I will run interference. And Susa? No mercy. Wipe them out."

"I hear you." He said, the two of them taking off to go meet the hostiles. "If it's that Signum, I won't have any problem being completely vicious. I got the feeling that if I hadn't sorta cheated, she probably would have beaten me in the end. I can't afford to hold back with her."

"Hmmm… Signum… swordswoman? Pink hair? Body worthy of fine artworks?"

"Er… yes? I mean, she's certainly _pretty,_ but you're going a little weird on me..."

"She's mine."

"Eh? But we have duel to settle, and... oh. Oh, no. Please, _please_ tell me you're not..."

"No arguments. I'm still your unit commander, and I am _ordering_ you to leave my gorgeous sexy battle princess to me. You can have whoever she's dragging along with her." Amaterasu said firmly.

Susanoo narrowed his eyes. "You know, you tell _me_ not to play around, but when you start to talk like that I wonder if _you're_ the one who's not taking things very seriously."

Amaterasu sighed in satisfaction and blushed slightly. "Ooooh, Susa, that obvious jealousy is just so cute! Don't worry, as lovely as she is, nobody could ever take your place in my heart. I'll still spoil you just as much as always even after I've snared her for my very own."

Without a word, Susanoo pulled slightly further away from her and slowed so he was behind her rather than beside, putting enough distance between them that he'd be able to see her coming _(Aaaaah! Aaaaah! Bad choice of words!)_ if she tried anything. _Honestly, something's gone wrong if I'm more afraid of my allies than my enemies…_

Several minutes after they left and long after they'd vanished from view, Tsukuyomi pointed towards the cyborgs and said, "You forgot these."

Nobody responded.

"I should think of something to do with you then, shouldn't I?" She asked the silent black figures. "I suppose a few of you to guard me would be sensible, but I don't really need all eight... hmmmmm..." She said, blinking a few times in intense thought.

"Ah. I have an idea. Do you, by any chance, have the coordinates of the hostiles who didn't arrive here?" Tsukuyomi asked. "And have you any way to reach those coordinates from here? Because I just thought of a way to make this delaying tactic far more delaying."

* * *

 

As the Wolkenritter minus one assembled on Rienne, the first to greet them was thankfully not hostile. Yuuno, who had arrived directly from the Infinity Library, waved them down. "Um... not that I'm not glad to see you, since that alternative was solving this whole situation on my own... but I was expecting to see more of you."

"Yes, there was a minor problem. It's fine, we should be able to deal with them until aid arrives."

"Are you certain? Because... honestly, coming in waves didn't work well last time."

Signum shrugged. "It wasn't by choice, as I said. We'll just have to make do. Do you have any idea what we're dealing with?"

"Well... so far, it seems to be just the three, and two of them have spotted us and are on the way to engage. They'll be here within five minutes. No sign of Precia Testarossa, but... there is _something._ An anomaly. None of my scrying spells can get a good lock on it, and I haven't visually confirmed anything for fear of being noticed myself." Yuuno said.

"I'm not sure I like the sound of 'anomaly', Signum." Vita said. "We should watch our step."

"Agreed. We'll work in teams; Vita and I will engage the two _en route_ , while you go with Zafira and try to locate the third. She seems to be the one responsible for finding their targets, so if you can neutralize her..."

"If I stay low to the ground and move on foot, I should be able to slip underneath them to locate the third." Zafira agreed. "Can you keep up?"

"Er... probably not, especially if you're going as a wolf. But I guess I could ride you." Yuuno offered.

"Snrk!" Vita said.

Zafira's perpetual scowl deepened. "Are you quite serious?"

"What's the... oh! Oh, I don't mean like this, I... here." Yuuno said, closing his eyes in concentration. A brief flash of light later, his position in the air was filled by a small tan ferret. "There, see?"

"... this is still notably undignified." Zafira said, shifting into his own animal form and allowing the ferret to cling to his mane. "But I suppose we'll cover the distance more quickly this way. Hold on tight."

As the blue wolf descended to the ground and broke into a run, Vita turned to Signum and said, "You know, there were about fifty jokes I coulda made right there, and I didn't make even one of them."

"Yes." Signum agreed. "We're all very proud of you."

* * *

 

"Here they come. Only two... so the others are probably split off somewhere to search for Tsuku." Susanoo said, two dots at the edge of his vision rapidly growing more distinct. He and Amaterasu halted their own flight, allowing the enemy to come to them. "You know, as I sit here, it occurs to me that we forgot the cyborgs. Guess it turned out to be for the best... anyone who finds Tsuku will have some very unpleasant surprises."

"Is that so?" Amaterasu said in mild disinterest. "And here I thought that I left them behind on purpose."

"Eh?"

"Tsuku is the only one here who can find an inactive Gate, and she has the Driver. Which means she's also the only one that those lovely toys need to keep alive until the Gate has been activated." Amaterasu said coolly. "I can trust them not to stick a knife in _her_ back, but not ours. So they can defend her, and _only_ her."

"Oh, okay. I never would have thought of that... guess that's why you're the boss. You're the clever one."

She batted her eyes in his direction, smiling warmly. "Ooooh, trying to butter me up? Flattery will get you everywhere, if you do it right."

"... I don't want to go to everywhere." He said, again moving slightly further away from her.

"You are _no fun_. Now, do you remember the battle plan?"

"You deal with Signum, because... well, I know exactly why you _really_ want to deal with her, but in my head I'm telling myself it's because you're the one with the best chance of taking her..."

"Oh, I'll 'take her' all ri-"

" _And I handle her wingman._ " He loudly interrupted, cutting off the double entendre. Seriously if you let her get started she'd go all day. He extended his senses and tried to focus his vision; neither were all that great, but the enemy was close enough that he could get a decent idea of what he was dealing with, "Who is... nobody I'm familiar with. Huh. Darn, I was hoping for Fatie..."

"Looks to be the little girl in red. Vi something. Careful, her attack power in close range is on a par with yours, so she could be a real... wait, what was that last bit?" Amaterasu said, her eyes suddenly lighting up and her smile taking on the air of a mischievous cat. "By 'Fatie', you mean that cute little blonde thing? The one who looks the same as that charming Testarossa maniac's daughter? Barrier Jacket that is highly inappropriate for her age? You were looking forward to seeing her, then?"

"Well..." Susanoo said warily. "Yes, but when you say it like that I wonder if I should be saying 'no' instead just to be safe. What's going through that twisted mind of yours?"

Amaterasu was practically purring at this point. "It's just nice to see you taking an interest in things, that's all. She's a bit young, certainly, but it's hard to deny that her appearance is very striking. If your tastes gravitate in that direction, who am I to judge? You have big sister's stamp of approval."

"Approval for what? What are you thinking? I just want to check on my new apprentice, that's..." He began. Then, halfway through the sentence, he stopped dead. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped as the realization of what she was suggesting slammed into his mind like a freight train hitting a pane of glass. "You... are you seriously suggesting that I would...! _She is ten years old!_ Don't project your perversions onto me, you sick freak!"

"Guilty conscience?" Amaterasu asked conversationally. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about your 'unorthodox tastes', dear heart."

"When we get home? Sparring ring. I am _kicking your ass._ "

" _Very_ guilty conscience. Ah, forbidden desires and the aches they bring to the heart..." Amaterasu said dramatically.

"Gaaaaaaaah!"

* * *

 

 _We're nearly to the target, Vita._ Signum thought. _Be ready._

 _That boy with the axe. You said he's the one you fought before? The one who tried to kill Hayate as a distraction?_ Vita asked.

 _Yes,_ Signum thought. Then, after a brief consideration of the implications of this, she followed up with, _but don't let your temper run out of control, Vita. I don't mind you using your anger as a motivator, that's just your style, but don't let it cause you to make a foolish mistake._

 _I don't need you to tell me that! I just wanted to confirm with you before we engage that you're taking the other one. He's **mine**. _Vita retorted.

Signum sighed. Realistically, from what Signum had seen of the boy's abilities, Vita should be a good match against him. The problem was her temper; Vita seemed relatively in control now, but Hayate was an even more sensitive point for her than the rest of them. Berserk rage was a double-edged sword; for all the help it could be in a good offensive, it was just as likely to get you killed. In the end, however, the decision was easy to make: she trusted Vita, end of story. _Fine. Just try to take him alive and with most of his limbs still attached._

 _Well, that's really up to him._ Vita said as they came within speaking range of the two hostiles.

Signum drew her sword and said, "I am obligated to inform you that if you surrender without a fight, it will be taken into consideration at your trial."

Amaterasu smiled. "I missed you too, kitten."

"Kitten _aga_ …" Signum began, catching herself before she could finish snapping. Her cheeks reddening slightly, she said, "…fine. You'll be taken in by force, then."

"Ooooh, you should have mentioned that before. You can take me by force _any_ time." Amaterasu purred.

"Take. You. **_In._** By. Force. _"_ Signum said, enunciating each syllable as if she were biting off her words. It was a strange sight to see; somehow, the warmer Signum's face looked, the colder her voice became.

 _Don't let your temper run out of control._ Vita's mocking voice said in her mind.

 _Don't you have something to do?_ Signum asked, doing a very good job of removing any trace of embarrassment from her mental voice. Vita was _almost_ fooled.

Of course, it may have helped that Signum had a point.

The blue-haired boy smiled… _smiled!_ The sheer _gall_ of it!... at her and said, "It looks like you and I will be opponents this time, and you have _no idea_ how happy I am that you're here. If you like, we can try to get some distance from these two so we don't have to listen to the perv…"

"Don't." Vita said. "We're not doing the buddy-buddy act. I'm here to break you, end of story."

Susanoo blinked. "Damn, you take this too seriously. Fine, we'll do it your way and get right down to business. Follow me." He said, taking off towards a secluded area so the two battles could proceed without interrupting each other.

"Have fun, Susa! Please cut her in half!" Amaterasu said cheerfully, waving good-bye.

Then, without so much as an 'en garde', she attacked.

From _behind._

Signum felt her continuing embarrassment grow further; she'd allowed the general lack of hostility in Amaterasu's bearing to make her lower her guard slightly, or the woman could never have gotten so far into her guard, no matter how fast she was. One moment she'd been floating serenely across the skies, the next she was behind and to the left of Signum and bringing that spear around in a graceful arc that was clearly intended to take the other knight's head off.

But being 'in' Signum's guard was not the same thing as being 'through' it.

She whipped her right arm, holding Laevatein, into the path of the incoming spear. The two blades met, sending up red sparks as their respective inner fires clashed and reacted. Without waiting for the locked weapons to separate, Signum snapped her left hand into a short chop with the sheathe; it was an awkward motion, considering the positioning of her body, but this early in the battle even something as small as a bruised rib might eventually add up to victory.

Unfortunately, the set of ribs she was trying to bruise seemed to be aware of this. Amaterasu seemed to almost spin her spear, sliding it along Laevatein's blade in order to bring the weapon's shaft into line with the incoming sheathe. But to do so, she was forced to lighten her pressure on Laevatein's blade, allowing Signum to work the weapon free and go for the throat. At this extreme range, mere inches from each other, Signum's two shorter weapons had a significant advantage; there was no way the woman could get her spear into position to block in time. This woman had impaled her; Signum had no intention of holding back in the slightest in power _or_ attitude. _My apologies, Lady Hayate, but in this case defeat means death, so victory must be my only priority...!_

Their general proximity made a wide slash impossible, so Signum stabbed. The range was so tiny that and her strike so fast that dodging should have been impossible.

Yes, it really should have been.

Really.

Amaterasu did not appear to move; rather, her head was simply three inches to the left of where it had been before, instantaneously. In nearly any other situation, Signum would have been terribly impressed... to have seen that attack coming and dodge it, at point-blank range? It required combat reflexes bordering on the oracular. Further, she had left Signum overextended and, as a result, vulnerable. She freed one hand from her spear and physically struck Signum's sword arm, slamming the extended limb directly into the other, sheathe-wielding arm. Then, with her spear freed, she almost instantly leveled a battle-ending thrust of her own. There was no hope of defense; the only counter Signum could realistically use was to disengage completely and propel herself backwards. She felt the displaced air from the spear tip flutter over his face, regardless, but managed to avoid having her head sliced in half.

The two women hovered there, separated by a scant few meters and both realizing that was really no distance at all.

"Very nicely done. Most people never see the first swing coming, but you're the first person in a long time who's managed to last out an entire routine without a single injury. You must have been even more wounded than I thought in our last match." Amaterasu said cordially.

"And to you. I would have wagered my life that you couldn't have dodged at that range." Signum said.

"Eh? Oh, you mean that thrust at my neck? I saw it coming. Actually, left the opening so you would go for it." Amaterasu said offhandedly. "I had to get my weapon free once we got all tangled up with each other, so I exposed a vulnerability that didn't exist."

Signum blinked. "That was quite a risk. Even if you saw an attack like that coming, the margin of error was a fraction of a second between a successful dodge and a deathblow."

"Eh, I've managed similar moves before. Actually, I've managed most things before." Amaterasu said. "Honestly, I should have avoided getting so close to you in the first place, it's just... you're so _pretty_."

"Are you taking this the slightest bit seriously at all?" Signum asked incredulously. Honestly, this woman's mercurial, twisted mind was just hard to follow in general.

"Of course I am! I take my duty very seriously indeed." Amaterasu said. "But come, you must have noticed; we're both knights. Both commander of our unit. Both fire-conversion elements. Both totally gorgeous. We have so much in _common_ , is there any doubt we were meant to be?"

"... you are not convincing me of your seriousness." Signum said.

"I'm fighting for love! There's nothing more serious!" Amaterasu said gallantly. "I won't rest until you acknowledge my feelings for you and agree to become my personal kitten!"

_"Stop calling me that."_

"Ooooooh, I've gotten hissed at. That's a baaaaad kitty _..._ "

* * *

 

"All right, I think we're far enough away." Susanoo said when he could no longer clearly see his sister or Signum, just the occasional jet of fire. "You sure you want to do thi-WHOA!" he said, as without the slightest warning, the girl's hammer made a beeline for his skull and he barely managed to intercept with enough speed to keep his head intact.

"What did I say," Vita growled, "About trying to act all buddy-buddy?"

"Geez, you're hostile!" Susanoo said. Raijin's blade was ringing like a bell; that hammer had a shocking amount of mass behind it for such a small weapon. Another dangerous little girl, then?

Well, fine by him.

He swung his arms to dislodge her, his weapon trailing lightning as he forced the girl in red back... or so he thought. She flipped in midair, her hammer loading a cartridge as she did.

" **Raketenform!"** The weapon shouted, pieces shifting and realigning as it did. The hammer that came at him _now_ was far more vicious than the one he'd pressed away, pulling the girl out of her spiral by simply blasting her in his direction with a rocket engine, and attempting to punch through Raijin like a jackhammer when the weapons met.

"Tear through it, Eisen!" She snapped.

 _"_ **Explosion!"** The hammer said, loading yet another cartridge and redoubling it's efforts. A tiny hairline crack began to appear in Raijin's blade.

Susanoo blinked in shock, and then narrowed his eyes. "Are you so weak you'd break for something like this?" He demanded of his device.

" **Lightning Blade!"** The axe said by way of reply, bursting into light. The two weapons howled as they attempted to rip each other apart through main strength, and in the end they were broken apart not by their own wills, but by the violent interaction of their magical auras... well, interacting violently.

Vita shook her head to clear the ringing in her ears that the sudden explosion had left, and saw her opposition doing much the same. _Okay. Not bad._ She admitted grudgingly. She didn't admit it out loud, of course, she was still _Vita._

 _"Ow..._ yeah, there's something going on here that I missed." Susanoo muttered. "Look, would you at least tell me what I did to piss you off so much?"

"The girl. The one you tried to kill as a freakin' _distraction._ " Vita snarled. And that really did make it worse, in her opinion; that this little twerp had been willing to just cut down her master without so much as looking her in the eyes. He hadn't even cared who she was, he'd just been trying to get Signum off his back. He would have _killed Hayate_ and he didn't even _care._

 _"_... ah. Ah-ha." He said. "Yes, so she's your master too? I should have seen that coming. For what it's worth, that wasn't my first choice either... I prefer to settle my duels fairly when I can. But my younger sister was in danger, and I needed to deal with that as quickly as I could. Don't make the mistake of assuming you're the only one with people you have to protect."

Vita narrowed her eyes. "And you expect forgiveness?"

"You'd be a poor knight if you gave it." He said calmly. "I just want you to understand why I behaved in such a disgraceful manner... and to apologize for this. You see, I have a mission to accomplish, and I haven't been taking it seriously enough. Ordinarily I wouldn't mind, but I'm started to worry... I might be hurting my master and my sisters by not working hard enough to grant their wishes, you know? So even though you're supposed to take me alive, I can't return the favor. I'm going to have to try to kill you."

Vita shrugged. "Emphasis on 'try'. And since you're being honest, so will I: I _will_ be trying to bring you in alive because that's what the girl who _you_ tried to murder wants from me. _But I won't be trying very hard_."

Susanoo smiled slightly. "I feel a little better, then."

"It'll pass."

"So... I take it we have nothing further to discuss?"

"Looks that way."

At this point in a battle, these early stages, the exchanges were often light. Simple. The two combatants gauging one another's power, learning one another's styles. Basically, most duels of this level will, despite (or perhaps because of) the power and skill of those involved, start off rather small.

Vita and Susanoo's next clash, only the second of the encounter... created shockwaves that could have shattered glass at five kilometers.

And that _was_ starting small.

* * *

 

"Sit." Nanoha said.

The penguins sat.

"Roll over."

Roll, roll, roll.

"Good boys!" She congratulated, throwing the birds some treats. She'd discovered that they seemed to eat small aquatic plants that grew in the shallows, and since she had nothing better to do she was playing around with them a bit.

If truly pressed, Chrono and Arf could pull off a personal dimensional transport. Nanoha had... er... well, been a bit spoiled in that department. The only times she'd ever _needed_ to teleport anywhere, she'd had someone there to handle it for her. She resolved to learn how to do it herself as soon as this mission was over, inefficiencies or no inefficiencies. Sometimes you just needed to go somewhere in a hurry.

"All right, guys, let's try fetch, next... hmmm?" She said in confusion as the small posse of birds she'd put together began waddling towards the ocean as fast as their little legs would carry them. "Did I do something wrong, or..." She sighed sadly.

"There is something right behind me, isn't there?" She said to nobody in particular. She turned, to find two very familiar and unwelcome figures staring silently at her.

"Only two? That's odd, I thought they fought in groups of three to six..." She muttered, hefting Raising Heart and leveling it at the black figures. She ran through a list of their capabilities in her head; barriers, capture chains, wrist-mounted cannon, aim for the center of body mass for the power core, they're... they're not _alive_ , don't hold back just because they used to be, do _not_...

One of the two extended its hands. Large, razor-edged blades emerged from its wrists, elbows, and knees, leaving the thing basically a walking food processor. Each of the already unpleasant looking weapons took on a faint red glow, most likely some sort of energy to reinforce the blades or increase cutting power. Or both. Nanoha's short career had already taught to assume it could _always_ be both.

The other fell back several hundred meters... and practically exploded into an assortment of long-range weapons clacking out of points all over the limbs and torso. She didn't recognize many of them, but she could identify both energy and (highly illegal) mass-based weaponry. She was fairly certain she even saw small missiles racked in one of the shoulder-mounted cannons.

"Oh." She said mildly, gazing upon the much-better-armed-than-she-recalled assailants. "So, you two are... different models, I guess."

 _Fate_? She thought _. Remember when I said I wasn't in any danger? The situation has changed a bit._

And then Tsukuyomi's 'improved delaying tactics' began trying to murder her.


	23. Dancing Flames

The jungle was ablaze.

One of the two black figures who had launched the attack was responsible for that; some kind of napalm grenades or something to that effect. Apparently they'd reasoned that if their target wished to use the undergrowth for cover, the best thing to do was get rid of the undergrowth all together. Fortunately, the smoke and heat provided a sort of cover all their own, albeit a very uncomfortable one. While they may have hidden her from view as she crashed through the embers, they also clouded her vision and rendered her nose more of a hindrance than a help. Still, it was okay; she could pretty easily extrapolate where the assailants were based on the origin point of the assorted bullets, beams, and missiles.

And honestly, other than the fact that she was rushing through burning vegetation and being bombarded, Arf was having a _great_ time.

She couldn't help it! Ordinarily she ran on her own, natural linker core supplemented by maybe five, ten percent of Fate's mana pool. Now she was taking as much as she safely could, nearly _fifty._ The jump from 'five' to 'fifty' didn't actually make her ten times more powerful, unfortunately; it was sort of a 'diminishing returns' situation. Still, the boost was… noticeable. Not least of which in that it resulted in an adrenaline rush like you would not _believe._

Oh, and her hair had grown about a foot longer and much spikier than usual. She wasn't sure what was up with that, but she decided not to question it. Several television shows she'd seen on Earth suggested that power made your hair bigger.

Glowing like the sun, she leapt out of the smoke, bearing down upon one of the cyborgs with a feral grin on her face and enough power to flatten a city block gleaming in the palm of her hand. The creature raised some kind of shields, but honestly it might as well have been trying to stop a wrecking ball with a tissue. As she watched the figure in black slam into the thick layer of smoldering embers that now covered the jungle floor, kicking up a vast cloud of ash, she couldn't help but let her grin widen.

 _Think of it as a blow for forest fire prevention._ She thought in intense satisfaction.

The second, the close-combat one, engaged then, the blades flashing with the lightning-quick strokes. The strange red glow surrounding the blades seemed to be some kind of barrier-piercing effect, and so she was forced to defend with a combination of magic and physical parries as she continuously reformed defenses around her arms. It wasn't easy, unfortunately; the way the thing was moving was too stiff and mechanical, but it was definitely _some_ kind of programmed martial arts. And to make matters worse, the one she'd brought crashing down was standing again, and taking aim with a large cannon that extended from the length of it's entire left arm and that... joy of joys... loaded a Belkan cartridge before her very eyes.

 _Upgrades, then. The last ones couldn't take that much punishment._ Arf smiled, electricity crackling between her fingers as she swatted aside a glowing razor. _Well, I guess I'll just have to learn to deal with that in my own special way._

_Fate should take days off more often!_

* * *

 

Nanoha was pretty sure she could win.

Their fighting style was simple, but effective. One bombarded from a distance, forcing her on the defensive. Then, while she was focused on keeping her shields intact rather than striking back, the other came at her with those barrier-piercing blades in an effort to bring her down in close combat.

The problems with this scenario were two-fold: first, her barriers were really, really good, and so did not immediately break even under weapons designed specifically for doing so. Second, bombarding Nanoha, getting into a _long-ranged duel_ with _Nanoha_ , was not a good way to win a fight under any circumstances.

Two pink bullets ripped through a small storm of missiles, zig-zagging among the projectiles and prematurely detonating them. They then, without any loss of energy coherence, flashed toward the closing bladed cyborg and forced it back, preventing it from getting that essential time he needed to pierce Nanoha's barriers.

Yes, she would eventually win. The problem, as it had been last time, was that winning was going to take _forever_.

The cybernetic creatures seemed to be less focused on avoiding damage than the last batch had been, but they compensated for this by being generally harder to hurt in any event. Axel Shooter might have knocked the creature back, but the outer shell was more 'dented' than actually 'damaged'. She doubted the internal components had even been rattled. She'd need a major attack to seriously have a shot of really hurting these things, and while they couldn't beat her they could definitely keep her from holding still and concentrating. If she didn't want to be chipping them down for over an hour while the rest of the battle went on without her, she'd need a new plan.

But that was okay; new plans were one of her strong points. And while she couldn't _quite_ run her typical training regimen while on high alert, she hadn't spent the last nine days doing nothing at all. Physical training needed to be cut back, but it could be replaced with mental training. Focus techniques, efficiency drills...

... perfecting new spells...

" **Stardust Fall."** Raising Heart said.

She didn't go quite as crazy with it as she had the first time; she wasn't planning to do _that_ again any time soon. Right now, she needed a distraction. Luckily, there were a great many rocks scattered along the ocean floor and in the shallows. She wouldn't even need to shatter the crust.

Rather than the giant chunks of land she'd hurled at Amaterasu, she was now bringing up the equivalent of a cluster bomb; instead of dozens of huge rocks, _thousands_ of very small ones. They could still do a great deal of damage if they hit in one big mass, but she wasn't actually aiming to do that; this spell was not terribly fast, and she was pretty sure the targets could dodge it if she tried for a focused strike, and an unfocused one wouldn't do the job. But that was fine, because she had a _much_ better idea.

She raised the stones into the air between her and the two cyborgs, and with a flick of her wrist, sent them into a spiral.

And both cyborgs froze, scanning the air seemingly at random.

It was natural, really. Chrono had said that most likely, their uncanny synchronization came as a result of being plugged into a shared combat computer. And with no visible eyes, she'd reasoned that they probably didn't rely on organic vision so much as some kind of sensor package. A sensor package that would obviously need at least a little time to adjust to the fact that there were now several thousand targets in the air instead of one. And with that same overload of data being poured into the same central computer via two different channels...

A few free seconds was all she needed.

She leveled her staff through the hail of rocks and fed two cartridges into Raising Heart. " **Loading, stand by. Divine..."**

"Release it now!" Nanoha commanded. The staff cut the Stardust Fall, letting the pebbles fall back to the ground below, leaving clear sky between her and the two cyborgs. They had most likely been pretty close to compensating for the stone whirlwind in any event, because they locked onto her almost instantly. The close-range model charged, while the long-range sent out another salvo of those small missiles; the projectiles looping outwards around and in front of its charging companion.

Well, they got points for effort, anyway.

"... **Buster."**

The blast of pink light tore through the sky, ripping through the incoming missiles and prematurely detonating them before slamming dead-on into the bladed cyborg behind them. And into it's...

 _... Barrier? No, no, no!_ Nanoha thought. She'd been hoping these models wouldn't _have_ those. "Break through it!"She commanded, her device loading a third cartridge and the beam increasing in intensity accordingly. _Come on, come on, if I can bring down one of them the other is no prob... oh, no. The other._ She thought numbly, watching as the one not on her beam threw off two spent shells. Cartridges?

She abandoned her attack spell and raised one hand, the pink circle of her own shield appearing before her outstretched palm. The crimson beam that struck her was no match for one of her own attacks, and definitely no match for her shields, but it was enough that she was glad she'd not taken it dead on. Unfortunately, she was now back on the defensive... and through the clearing smoke, she could see that the one she'd managed to blast was still intact, if not in the best of shape. The blades mounted on it's upper body had been snapped off, and large chunks of armor were visibly cracked or even on the verge of shattering, but it was still flying under its own power. Still, she doubted it could manage much in the way of close combat anymore, so she'd at least managed to claim an advantage.

Then, as if reading her mind, it withdrew it's damaged blades, and out snapped a variety of ranged weaponry. Meanwhile, the one that had until now been handling bombardment moved forward and extended its own set of glowing red combat blades.

 _What? They're not specialized after all, they're the same design with multiple modes? Now that's just unfair._ Nanoha thought. _And all the good AIs learn from mistakes, so I probably can't pull that trick again. Sorry, everyone, but it looks like I'm going to be stuck here for awhile..._

* * *

 

"I don't believe this…" Christine St. Vlas said. "How could you just… how could you just leave me like this?"

"It's not that I _want_ to. It's just that… well… the Academy _finally_ accepted me." Darian Chrysanth, her friend since childhood and boyfriend since they'd been old enough to realize what romantic attraction _was_ said. "I'll already be starting later than a lot of cadets. This could really be my last chance!"

The young couple were in a rocky patch right this moment; Darian had, that very afternoon, received a communiqué stating his acceptance to the Naval Academy as a Bureau mage. The fact that he would be leaving their homeworld of Rienne for, at the very least, months, did not, obviously, sit well with his girlfriend, and the two had agreed to meet out here... a series of rocky bluffs and valleys that bordered the western side of the thick forest located near their hometown. The forest itself was a popular site for hikers, hunters, and the like, but this barren formation of rock outcroppings jutting out of the otherwise verdant landscape was generally avoided. Most of the rocky deposits were composed of rather soft stone that was very unsuitable for climbing or the like, and there was frankly nothing else to see. But to the two of them, this place was special; this was the place where, after wandering lost in the woods for nearly five hours on a hiking trip gone wrong, they had finally managed to spot a landmark they recognized and realized where they _were_ , and realized they were going to _live_ , and in the mixture of fear and relief and near-delirium had shared their first-ever kiss.

As a result, they had felt that this was the best place to discuss the fact that there might not be many more kisses in their immediate future.

"So? Do you _need_ to go to the academy? Is there someone _forcing_ you to join the Bureau military?" Christine snapped. She knew she was being unreasonably hostile, but sadness was rarely a reasonable emotion.

"I… Chris. You know I don't want to leave you. But this is something I've wanted to do since I was just a kid, you know that. I can't just abandon my dreams!"

"Oh, please. Your _dreams."_ Christine said. She knew she sounded too harsh, but honestly she couldn't help it at the moment. She just felt so helpless, and the helplessness in turn made her feel angry. "You were five years old when you decided to do that! It's a child's fantasy. You're leaving me over some childish delusion!"

"No! Of course not! I love you… if I didn't genuinely think that the Academy was my place, that I could do real good there, I would never leave you for a second. But don't you see? I _have_ to do this. And I'll be back! There are plenty of posts for planetary security; I should be able to get one here, or nearby!"

"You can justify it all you want; the fact of the matter is, we might not see each other again for months, even years, and it's all because of some… some kid's pipe dream that the military is _cool_." Christine said bluntly. "Tell me; exactly what's so _cool_ about leaving me behind to go risk your life?"

And that was when a red and blue comet slammed into the ground not thirty feet away from them.

Susanoo hit the ground first, his feet dragging up trenches in the rocky soil as he was pushed back by the relentlessly oncoming Vita, a jet of flame erupting from Eisen's rocket. They had hit at nearly sonic speeds, and even though their strength was approximately equal, momentum was on Vita's side and Susanoo found himself being pushed further and further backwards from her sheer force. She'd driven him back nearly a quarter-kilometer before he managed to firmly plant his feet and halt the charge, shattering the ground beneath them. Their momentum stopped, both drew back their weapons and brought them together in a resounding crash that hurled them both apart and tore up the already crushed landscape at their feet even further.

Susanoo smirked. "Oh. My. Gods. _Yes._ I swear, every time I turn around, someone interesting pops up! Why have we not done this before? I'm sure we've been on the same battlefield at least once, you should have looked me up!"

Vita did not smirk. "Do. You. Never. Shut. **_UP?"_** She roared, spinning in one complete circle and flaring the engine on her hammer. It was impossible to hear the loading over the roar of the rocket, but Susanoo saw at least one of those shells they used fire off from the main body of the weapon. He felt it for sure, then, when the impact from her hammer nearly tore Raijin out of his arms. He rolled with the impact, spinning in a quick circle and bringing the axe at her midsection in a horizontal chop.

It was, perhaps, the least technical battle ever. There was no semblance of strategy, just two engines of destruction attempting to crush each other with sheer brute force. Each collision of their weapons sent thunderous shockwaves through the mostly empty wilderness; the surrounding forests cleared of animals at a record pace, more than one of the rocky outcroppings collapsed as the chaos sparked small avalanches.

"We're gonna die! We're gonna die!" Darian and Christine sobbed, holding onto each other for dear life and huddling as close to the ground as they could.

Susanoo fell back, coming to land on a nearby plateau. The latest exchange had forced him to hold his weapon at an unusable angle and left him with the options of either falling back to untangle his arms or getting a hammer shoved down his throat when Vita could attack and he couldn't block in time. He shifted his grip, recognizing that he had at most three seconds before Vita closed on him... and learning exactly one second later that his estimation had been overly generous.

The hammer impacted brutally. It didn't impact brutally on _Susanoo_ , granted, because he dodged back and Vita came in too fast to compensate, but it still impacted brutally. The entire damn cliffside collapsing with the two of them on it was proof of _that._

Vita fought to right herself in the shower of rock, and felt she'd finally managed to get some semblance of sure 'footing'... when she caught, through the chaos, a growing blue light. She raised up one hand, a red aura bursting to life around it.

" **Panzer Schild."**

**"Thunderclap!"**

Blue and red light once again collided violently, the wave of lightning tearing through the falling rock and slamming into Vita's barrier. It viciously exploded, energy flowing around and, unfortunately, a little bit _through_ her. Her nerves on fire, Vita fell back from the battle and fortified her crumbling defenses before a more final attack could be launched. She hit the ground and skidded to a halt, sparks still dancing in her hair and between her fingers. "Urgh... fighting back is only going to make it hurt more in the long run!" She snapped. She prepared to charge yet again, when a strangely familiar sound caught her ear. She turned, blinking in confusion, and her eyes widened in shock and horror when she saw two people, just kids really, maybe fourteen or fifteen at the oldest, huddled together and sobbing in sheer terror right in the middle of the damn war zone. _Oh, Hell. Have they been here the whole time? I better leave **that** out of the official reports, wouldn't look good at my trial to say 'Accused almost killed some kids, but in her defense she was really busy at the time and didn't see them'. _

"What the... where did they come from? Have they been there the whole time?" Susanoo said, lowering his weapon at the sight of why the little berserker had stopped trying to crunch him.

"Dunno. Look, If you come anywhere _near_ these two I'm..."

"Hey, last thing I want is civilians running around. You take your time and deal with 'em, I don't mind waiting."

"Oh. Uh, thanks." Vita said, blinking a few times in surprise. She'd sort of been expecting him to keep right on attacking. Well, she supposed she shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Now, to deal with the situation at hand. In her opinion, the best way to deal with a surprise was to get angry, so she turned to the two cowering civvies and snapped, _"What_ are you two doing here? Are you complete idiots? Why the Hell didn't you run for your lives as soon as you saw us?" Vita snapped.

"We're gonna die... we're gonna die..." The two kids muttered, eyes wide.

Vita sighed. _Geez. They're halfway out of their minds, aren't they?_ In a softer tone, she took the hat off her head and said. "Listen, we're gonna clear this area, but there's running fights all over the place. You run around, you'll get killed. I'm gonna put you in a containment barrier, should keep you pretty safe for a little while. This hat is part of my armor, and it will show up on my ship's sensors-" _If they ever start working again_ , "-like a beacon. When they detect some of my armor isn't on me, they'll figure out something's wrong, notice you, and extract you to somewhere safe. Until then, you _stay still_ , keep inside my ward, and don't go wandering into anymore war zones. And no, you can't _keep_ the hat. It'll disappear next time I reset my armor." Honestly, the odds were good that none of that would actually happen; anyone on the _Asura_ who actually _did_ detect a severed portion of her armor would most likely just assume it had been cut off. But if the story and the trinket gave the kids something to hang their hopes on, they at least wouldn't panic and do something even dumber than sticking around to _watch_ a conflict between AAA+ combat mages. Then, once the fight was over, she could personally make sure they were okay. Not perfect, but decent.

"Here." Susanoo said, landing next to her. Vita tensed, but all he did was take off his coat. "This is pretty decent protection, even without my active magic behind it. If you do get caught in another duel, you can both hide under it and run away from the fighting as fast you can. Should at least keep stray shrapnel and junk from hurting you. Same deal, though: soon as my barrier jacket resets, it's gone, so don't get attached."

Vita blinked a few times. "Huh."

"What?"

"Nothing important. Look, let's... get out of here. Get away from them." Vita said. It was spoken in a noticeably more civil tone than any she'd used with him so far. "These kids have had enough of a scare."

"Okay. Lead the way." He said agreeably.

Christine and Darian, huddled under a tattered white coat and clutching a bunny hat, watched them depart.

"I don't think I want to go to the Academy anymore." Darian said.

"Um... well, I think _I_ do now." Christine said, a strange light in her eyes.

"Wh-what? Weren't you scared?"

"Well... yeah, of course, it was terrifying. But... well... looking back, I guess it was also... pretty amazing?" She said hesitantly. "I mean, did you see the way they moved, the things they _did_? Don't you want to learn how to _do_ all that?"

"No! Not anymore!"

"Yeah... I think I'm putting in my application when we get back home." She said firmly.

"I can't believe you're... you're _leaving me_ for some childish fantasy!" Darian said.

"No! Of course not! I love you… if I didn't genuinely think that the Academy was my place..." Christine began.

* * *

 

By now a good distance from the arguing teens (oh, let's just say it like it is: the arguing _children_ ), Vita and Susanoo flew to find somewhere a bit more peaceful to have their small war.

"That was... pretty decent of you." Vita said begrudgingly.

"Eh?"

"Those kids. I'm supposed to be the 'law' here, they were my responsibility. You didn't have to help."

"Oh! Well, we _are_ supposed to avoid civilian casualties. Besides, if you let kids die every time they do something stupid, pretty soon there won't be any kids left, y'know? Gotta watch out for the next generation."

Vita arched an eyebrow. "That's odd coming from someone who's been beating on the next generation as often as you have."

"Er... well, I mean, I've got my orders and all. And I've tried to be gentle, even though I'm like, 90% certain that Tanako started it by trying to get past me when I totally told her not to." Susanoo said.

"... _who_ started it?" Vita asked. "Who is Tanako?"

"And even then, I've been really careful! They were all using restraint and such, so I did too and I haven't tried to _kill_ anyone. Er... um... well, except for, well... you. And I... uh... I guess that girl with the black... wings..." He briefly trailed off, before blurting out, "I'm sorry! I was really sure that Signum would intercept the attack in time, really! It's not like I actually wanted to hurt your master, I don't even know her! It was just that I've gotta watch out for my sister, she's so _tiny_ , and it's a big brother's _job_ to watch out for his baby sis, so I needed to get to her as quick as I could, and..."

"Look, just don't bring it up. If I were in your shoes, I woulda done the same thing, and if you were in my shoes you'd have gotten just as mad about it. I get that. I'm not going to say I forgive you, but I'm willing to... look, she's fine. You didn't actually hurt her. So I don't forgive, but I guess I can... forget. Stop taking it personally." Vita said. "Besides, I gotta save my really bad side for that Precia bitch."

"She's got an off-putting personality." Susanoo agreed. Then, since since there was really nothing to add to that thought other than 'Really? Ya think?' said in a very sarcastic tone, he chose to break the sudden silence with, "Um... you were pretty cool back there too. The way you just stopped the whole fight as soon as you saw civilians in the line of fire, and then just totally took charge. Oh, and then you gave up your holy symbol!"

"My what?"

"My sister said that hats have religious significance to your culture. Said she couldn't think of any other reason you'd get so angry over damage to a self-repairing piece of clothing..."

Vita snorted. "Religious significance?" She asked in disbelief. Then, as she considered it... was that really so far off?

She thought back to the first time she'd ever worn her new armor, to the sheer wonder on Hayate's smiling face as she saw the outfit she'd designed simply materialize out of thin air. _"Oh, you look so cute, Vita_!" The little girl had said in delight. " _Even better than I imagined_!"

Thinking back... had anyone ever complimented her on her appearance before that moment? Had anyone ever smiled at her with such simple, genuine joy? Even once in her entire life? Whatever the case, at that exact instant her armor ( _Especially_ the hat that Hayate had added to the design in delirious excitement mere _minutes_ after discovering via shopping trip that Vita had a soft spot for stuffed bunnies) ceased to be something she wore and became Something That Hayate Gave Her. Protecting it was... important.

"Religious significance." Vita said softly. "Maybe not _exactly,_ but that's... close."

"Then it was pretty neat of you to give it away to help those kids, even for a little bit." Susanoo said again, smiling cheerfully. "You're a good knight."

"... I guess you're not as bad as I thought you were." Vita admitted, a mild grumble in her voice.

"Yaaaaaaaay! You don't hate me anymore! You'll need a nickname then. Vita, Vita... hmmm, it's kind of simplistic, but how about just 'Vi'? Yeah, I like that. Vi."

" _Hey!_ I'm still gonna beat the tar out of you, doofus! I'm just saying that... y'know, you're not as much of a bastard as I thought. So maybe you were telling the truth when you said it was nothing personal, and I really did overreact because it was my master being threatened. Doesn't mean I like you, just that it also won't be 'personal' when I beat you down."

He pouted. "Hmph. Even when you're being nice you're still pretty mean, Vi."

"Do _not_ call me that! We're not friends, you don't get to give me a nickname!"

"But it's cute. It suits you."

"Why is it whenever you talk, to me it just sounds like, 'Please hit me, Vita. Please beat me within an inch of my life.'?"

"Aw, now you're just plain mean again! Really, Vi, you need to learn to lighten up!" Susanoo whined.

"Arrgh! Look, what did I tell you about being all buddy-buddy? We! Are! Not! Friends! A lack of hatred is not the same thing as affection! Stop talking!" _Damn, and I thought Takamachi was annoying! At least she only **asked** instead of just randomly assuming we were suddenly pals!_

"No talking at all?"

"Not a word!" Vita snarled.

"Are you sure? I've got one more thing to say and it is very important."

"Grrrrr... _fine!_ What do you have to say that's _so important?"_

 _"_ Well... just thought you'd like to know. I know I said I'd let you lead the way, but in the future you probably shouldn't let people fly behind you like this..."

Vita tensed her grip on Graf Eisen. _Crap, I didn't even think about it, but I'm giving him a clear shot at my back! How could I have been so stupid?_ She'd let his open manner throw her off her guard. She'd thought she'd learned her lesson after the _same damn thing_ had made her underestimate Takamachi far, far too many times, but apparently not. And now if she didn't hurry, she'd be paying for...

"... because well, frankly, considering your armor's design... it's just... well, flying right there... Look, I swear I'm not _trying_ to, but you are sort of directly in front of me and I can totally see up your skirt." Susanoo finished.

Oh.

What.

The.

Hell?

Vita's eyes widened slightly. This was the only reaction she showed to this information. This was not because she was calm, quite the contrary. She was silent because intense embarrassment and mind-numbing fury were currently warring for control of her brain, and it was not yet decided which would claim victory. As such, her mind was effectively blank until one emotion managed to overcome the other.

Susanoo began to wonder what he should do when Vita remained completely silent for nearly a full minute, just... flying straight ahead. She didn't even bother to adjust her armor or anything. _This is really awkward... is it possible I've misjudged her, and she's actually a very modest and shy girl? Oh no, she's not talking to me because I hurt her feelings! Aw, that's no good, I can't go around doing that to an innocent girl! I'd better think of a way to make it up to her. What would I do if it were another girl I know?_

... ... ... ...

_Yeah, that's useless, the girls I know are too weird. Tsuku wouldn't understand the problem, Queen Lil would hurt me, and Ammy would probably just ask me if I enjoyed the view. Okay, okay, I need to think this through again... when you hurt a girl's feelings the first thing to do is reassure her, right? But this is a delicate situation, and if I say the wrong thing then I'll sound like a pervert. So I need to be subtle about it. Sneaky. Make it like... a reassuring compliment, but one that's not directly aimed at her. Yeah, there's no way that could possibly go wrong!_

"Don't worry, you've got nothing to be ashamed of. Your underwear is perfectly normal." He said, reassuringly.

What followed this minor, offhanded comment was the sound of a hammer slamming with great force into a _very stupid_ man as mind-numbing fury won out.

* * *

 

 _Do you smell that?_ Zafira asked the ferret clinging to his back. He'd abandoned the sky completely, choosing to run and take advantage of whatever cover he could find. He was hoping to simply catch the girl off-guard and get this unpleasantness done in a single, quick strike. Wishful thinking, perhaps, but there was no reason not to make the attempt.

 _Er... at the moment, all I can smell is wolf._ Yuuno thought from his position in Zafira's mane. _Sorry._

_We're getting close. But there's something else near her... not exactly a scent. The **absence** of a scent, a small space that smells like nothing. Can your magic tell us anything more?_

_No, not if we want to take her by surprise. She's running a wide-range divination over the entire immediate area. She's not looking for us specifically, so keeping us shrouded from it isn't too hard, but if I drop my shielding and start a scrying of my own, she's almost certain to spot it._

_Very well. Then at least stay alert, and assume the worst. In a one-on-one battle, I would say that I could at least hold her long enough to allow for reinforcements to arrive, so with two of us we should be able to trap her..._

_If she's actually alone._ Yuuno said, seeing the Guardian Beast's reasoning. _I'll do my best to help, though I've already seen that what little I have in the way of offense is basically worthless against her. She's roughly on Nanoha's level and... well, defending myself is fine, but there's only so much I can do to harm someone like that._

_Hmmm... then you do that. Stay clinging to me, and focus entirely on defense. I'll focus completely on attack, holding nothing back._

The ferret smiled self-deprecatingly. It looked sort of weird; ferret faces weren't designed for smiling. _And between us we'll make one whole mage?_

 _We'll make one **exceptional** knight **.**_ Zafira corrected.

 _Well then, call me Sir Yuuno, I guess._ Yuuno replied, laughing silently as he did. The mirth didn't last, however, as the faint glow of silver light began to become visible through the tall grass they were rushing through. _She's just ahead. Even if I can't smell her, the air is thick with magic. She must be trying to force the scrying, get it done more quickly. Risky with a delicate magic, but running it in the background of the last fight almost backfired a few times, so it makes sense._

The wolf halted his run, sinking lower to the ground and beginning to stalk. Yuuno thought it was very interesting, actually... being a ferret, he was sort of hardwired to be the one being _seen_ from this perspective, and seeing it from Zafira's perspective was interesting. The grass was taller than Zafira and packed so tightly that only a tiny hint of the obviously brilliant spell light could be seen through it, and yet the wolf moved through it so smoothly that even Yuuno could barely hear the blades rustling. As big as Zafira was, he could be _quiet_ when he wanted to be.

They found the girl quickly enough; she wasn't moving, after all. She'd found a small meadow where the tall grass wasn't quite so annoying, and was standing there in the center of a six-pointed silver star. Her device was planted in the ground in front of her, her hands held out at her sides, and her eyes closed in concentration.

 _Keep us shrouded. I'm going to try to bring her down with a single strike, and if I want to pull that off without killing her it is essential that she not sense our presence until it's too late._ Zafira thought. Yuuno thought he 'sounded' remarkably calm, even for him. Hunter's instincts? Just how animalistic was the average familiar, mentally? He knew that Arf ate dog food eagerly enough, and... ugh, that train of thought led to some very disturbing thoughts concerning whether or not Lotte Lieze's jokes about eating him were actually jokes. Best not to think too hard about it.

The blue wolf's muscles bunched in preparation to pounce, its eyes and fur taking on a white light of their own. The initial spell was a complicated binding that would hold the girl still, followed by the best direct-damage shot he knew. If they both connected while the girl's defenses were unfocused, they should be more than sufficient to leave her unconscious and trapped in the space of seconds. But Zafira was a hardened veteran, and he knew it was safest to assume that something would go wrong. Particularly since he still couldn't help but notice that something really, really _didn't_ smell...

The fun part of expecting the worst is that you're never disappointed. And when Zafira's smooth, silent charge was met by a solid wall of _nothing_ shimmering into the figure of a scentless man in black, he was barely even surprised. He released his prepared spells instantly, a mixed wave of white spikes and chains roaring out to engulf the new threat and send it flying before it could even properly engage. The creature was buffeted and hit the ground with its limbs pinned by Zafira's bindings. Unfortunately, even the split second it took to deal with this was enough for another problem to emerge; the red glow in the corner of Zafira's eye was enough proof of that. There was no way he'd get a defense up in time if the beam had already been fired...

The red glow was overshadowed by a green glow as a barrier burst into existence through no effort of Zafira's, the energy bolt from the second black figure impacting harmlessly off the emerald circle. Zafira was glad he was in wolf form... his human features might have betrayed some embarrassment at the realization that a few seconds of combat action was enough to make him completely forget about the ferret clinging to his fur.

Tsukuyomi turned to the noise behind her and raised an eyebrow. "That took longer than expected." She picked up her staff and leveled it at the trapped Black Cat. The gem took on a silver glow, and the binds shattered like glass. As the cyborg rose to its feet, she said, "Hold them here. Kill them if you can, but hold them at all costs. The fewer interruptions I have, the faster we all get what we want."

As the girl took to the skies and abandoned the battlefield to continue her search, Zafira and Yuuno weighed their options.

 _Do we go after her, or deal with this?_ Yuuno asked, glancing between the two black figures.

_Can you repel both of them while I handle pursuit?_

_Probably, but I don't know their ordinance. If they have some kind of barrier-piercing capabilities we could have a problem. Plus, that leaves us with the problem of being outnumbered if we catch her._

_It won't do for us to get shot down before we complete our mission._ Zafira agreed. _But we can't spend too much time here, either. We kill one, then you hold the other while I track her down._

 _Kill one? Do you have to put is so bluntly...?_ Yuuno asked.

Zafira sighed, even as he bared his fangs and prepared to combat the pair of killers approaching them. _No backbone. I suppose that's just what comes of turning into an animal smaller than my mouth._

 _Hey! I'll have you know the ferret is a proud and noble creature..._ Yuuno began.

* * *

 

As it happened, Vita's advice to the young couple wasn't wrong. Staying in hiding and waiting for extraction was the right plan, even if only because they would have had to cut through the forest to reach their home.

And the forests in the area were not safe at all.

Signum zipped between the trees, straining her eyes to catch the flashes of blue and red among the green that marked Amaterasu's location. She snapped Laevatein in the direction of the latest one, the blade segmenting into its Snake Form and tearing through the underbrush toward the blur and...

 _Damn._ Signum thought, as once more the chain blade pierced only undergrowth and once more the blue haired woman disappeared from her view, only to briefly reappear as another flicker of color among the trees. She flicked her wrist, pulling the blade (and a fair amount of slashed plant matter) back to her hand. **"Schwertform!** " The sword exclaimed, drawing itself back into a solid blade.

She honestly wasn't sure what to make of Amaterasu anymore. The battle thus far had lacked the intensity of their prior duel, Amaterasu maintaining the playful, flirtatious personality she'd shown only briefly in that encounter. But Signum recalled with perfect clarity the pain of that spear being driven through her body; the flesh-searing heat of the blade an intense contrast to the cold, pitiless eyes of the woman wielding it. Signum was not certain if Amaterasu simply had a horrible temper she hadn't yet managed to press, legitimate multiple personalities, or the constant cheerful come-ons were simply an act to make her lower her guard.

Which was not to say that the flirty goofball wasn't giving a good accounting of herself. In fact, she was very, very vexing if only because it was _like_ fighting a completely different person. She didn't react the same way as the warrior Signum had faced once before. The razor-sharp, ruthless assault she'd been expecting was instead... the only word that fit was _playful_. She was all feints and curves, false openings and attacks that seemed to have no purpose beyond forcing Signum to react to them. It was almost like a dance, rather than a fight... until Signum thought she'd claimed an advantage, in which case Amaterasu would almost invariably show that she'd seen this coming and engage in a borderline-impossible routine that brought the battle back to even footing.

Signum had the growing, discomforting feeling that she was being toyed with.

 _Wait._ She thought suddenly, her eyes widening at the sudden lack of anything but green and brown in her field of vision, not so much as a hint of anything else. Red and especially blue were not widely seen forest colors; considering how fast and maneuverable she was, her highly inappropriate color scheme was the main way Signum had kept an eye on her. _Where did she...?_

Without waiting to finish that thought, which she was distinctly aware she didn't have time for, Signum threw her flight into full reverse and shot backward. One shoulder collided solidly with a low-hanging branch, which was annoying, but not half so annoying as it would have been to be bisected by the blade that slashed through the space she'd just vacated as Amaterasu... somehow... descended on her from the leaf canopy.

Without the slightest halt in motion, the woman rotated her spear to angle the blade upwards and brought it across her body in a diagonal slash from the ground up. Signum intercepted, the two weapons once again striking up sparks as metal slid across metal, creating a sound that made nails on a chalkboard seem absolutely pleasant by comparison. Unfortunately, this also left Signum at the outer range of the spear, which was beyond what Laevatein could match in sword form. _Well, that's fine. In an environment like this, a longer weapon isn't necessarily an advantage, is it?_

Signum fell back further still, not even attempting to close the distance. Rather, she withdrew further, forcing the other woman to pursue in order to keep her in range. _Yes... that's right. Stay just outside the arc of the spear. She can't risk flame magic while she's among this underbrush, and if she lets me get too far away she knows I'll switch to Snake Form. I won't lose sight of her again, so keeping me in melee range is her best option...!_

Signum slid back across the moss of the forest floor, _s_ taying just out of range... just barely...

There.

Amaterasu extended her arm and slid the spear through her palm until she was holding only the very end. It was a bizarre, unorthodox move; she was sacrificing most of the weapon's stability in order to gain just a bit of extra range for a single thrust. Still, it was so contrary to combat logic that most warriors would simply never see it coming, and Signum was in the worst possible position to dodge... feet off the ground, but no flight spell in effect, moving on sheer momentum.

Yes, if she hadn't been holding out for exactly this event Signum would have really been in a lot of trouble.

Signum didn't really seem to dodge so much as flow. The weapon slid harmlessly past her by a scant few millimeters, and the arm is passed closest to swatted at the shaft, directing the thrust so that the blade's tip stabbed deep into a nearby tree.

Triumph blazing in her eyes, Signum lunged down the length of the spear, bringing Laevatein in an arcing slash to cut the woman in two at mid-chest.

Or rather, that's what she _would_ have done if Amaterasu hadn't simply released her grip on Kagutsuchi and rushed forward into Signum's own guard, clamping a hand around the other woman's sword arm and flipping Signum completely over her head. Signum landed on her feet gracefully enough, but by the time she was able to right herself and come back into a combat stance, Amaterasu had smoothly ripped her blade free and turned to face her, equally ready for battle.

Signum narrowed her eyes in something not entirely unlike irritation. "You saw _that_ coming too...?"

"What did I tell you? I've done most things before. You are, hmmmm... maybe the thirty-seventh person I can think of off the top of my head who's tried the 'disarm by stuck weapon' routine. It only worked the first time, and luckily that was during my training days. Hee, I was sore for a week." She giggled. "Besides, even if it had worked your follow-through wasn't very good. You hold back too much, kitten."

"Hold back?" Signum said. "That blow would have killed you."

Amaterasu's eyes widened... and she broke into peals of genuinely amused laughter. "Oh! Oh! That's so... you are _wonderful!_ You didn't even notice!"

"Notice what?"

"Every time you go for what _could_ have been a killing blow, you hesitate. Not much. Tenth of a second, maybe." Amaterasu said, smiling wickedly. "But enough to be noticeable, at least to me. An impurity in your fighting style that makes you simple enough to predict you via simple observation and turn the fight back around when you manage to get an advantageous position. Of course, it helps that I am quite _intently_ keeping an eye on your body anyway..."

" _How many times must I tell you to stop that?"_ Signum did not _quite_ growl.

 _Awwww, she's just like Susa. So easy to tease, and so charmingly straight-forward that she can't even figure out that playing hard-to-get just makes it more fun to do so._ Amaterasu thought cheerfully. Out loud she said, "No need to get angry, kitten. I'm just trying to give you some helpful advice. If things keep going as they are, you're going to die, so would listening really hurt?"

"Your confidence is misplaced." Signum said by way of reply, stepping back into a combative stance.

"It really isn't." Amaterasu whispered.

Into her ear.

Signum's eyes widened, her muscles reacting far before her mind did, bringing Laevatein whipping toward the source of the voice beside her. Amaterasu smiled cheerfully, not attempting to parry or dodge, but intentionally taking the sword full on and locking their weapons.

 _S_ he'd been careless. _Again._ The woman hadn't even been ten meters away! Amaterasu was not as fast as Testarossa, but she was still easily the second-fastest mage Signum had ever faced; ten meters might as well have been a single step to her.

"I see it in your eyes..." Amaterasu purred, as though she were whispering to a lover in bed. "The killer. There's a monster in there, but every time she tries to surface, something gets in her way. Every killing blow has just the slightest hesitation. Something in you doesn't want to kill me."

Oh. Damn.

She was right, wasn't she? It had happened the first exchange in their match, when she'd gone for the throat. In her mind, she has apologized to Hayate before landing the would-be lethal strike. And ever before then... in her battle with Susanoo, she should have done better than she actually had. He was strong, but not her equal, she knew that.

She wasn't trying to hold back, not like she'd been during her matches with Testarossa. This was kill or be killed. But she was... did she not have it in her to fight like that anymore? She knew how much she'd changed since her new life began, but had becoming part of the Yagami family softened her _that_ much?

The blue haired woman's smile shifted slightly, but noticeably... from sultry to triumphant., as if she was reading Signum's mind. "Or is it _someone_ holding you back? Should I be jealous, kitten? Maybe... do you wonder if you might be better off just forgetting about them? If your devotion to them is weighing down your sword, maybe you should just abandon them entirely if you want to live..."

The reaction that resulted from this was greater, perhaps, than Amaterasu had intended.

Laevatein drew in four cartridges in rapid succession, bursting into flame so intense that nearby trees burst into flame without ever coming into contact with it. Even Signum herself felt it to be uncomfortably hot, but at the moment she really did not care. It was positively chilly in comparison to how she felt inside.

_She is holding me back? I should abandon her?_

_Our lives were empty. A cold, pointless hell that consisted of nothing but futilely trying to use a weapon that could never be used, for the benefit of people too repulsive to be worthy of even the short glimpse of power they received before it destroyed them. She saved us from that... took us in, gave us a home and made us a family. I owe her **everything,** and you say to abandon her? To even suggest such a thing... to assume you know **anything** about it..._

"How _dare_ you?" Signum snarled, swinging Laevatein in a vicious slash that hurled the other woman through the clearing. "Shiden..." She said, drawing the weapon back _,_ the flames only growing more intense.

Amaterasu swung her spear, clearing a lick of flame that clung to the blade like it were a drop of water. "Struck a nerve?" She asked. "Burn, Kagutsuchi."

" **Overheat."** The spear said, the entire length of the weapon taking on a red-hot glow.

Amaterasu grinned like a shark. "Come on then, kitten!"

"... _Issen._ " Signum said.

Fortunately, the firestorm that resulted from their clash was simply too hot to sustain itself. It consumed all the fuel in the immediate area, reducing grass, moss, underbrush, even entire trees to nothing but charcoal, burning itself out in the space of seconds.

Amaterasu coughed up soot and stared up at the smoke rising into the sky from her new position flat on her back, eyes wide in disbelief. "Wow. I _did_ hit a nerve."

Signum, already on her feet, held her blade at the ready. The embers smoldered around her and ash swirled in the air around the flames that limned her sword, but the fire around her paled in comparison to the flames behind her eyes. "On your feet. _I'm not done with you yet_."

There was a certain satisfaction to it, actually. She wasn't soft... she just had better priorities now. Yes, that felt good.

As she watched, Amaterasu smiled and tenderly rose to her feet, looked into the blazing eyes of her would-be executioner without fear... and did the one thing that could have possibly squashed Signum's driving fury. She sighed in satisfaction, licked her lips, visibly blushed, and said, "Mag-ni-fi-cent. I am _so_ turned on right now."

One little-used way to get rid of fury? Replace it with confused revulsion.

"... what?" Signum asked, her skin crawling too much to quite get any other thought across.

"I was sort of hoping you'd react like that... Susa could get excited over a duel with a killing machine, but I find them extremely tedious. I much prefer people. Delicious, flawed, passionate _people._ " Amaterasu said reverently. "So when I started to notice that your personality is a bit fragmented, I decided to see what would happen if I pressed your buttons. Would your boring side come out and make this oh-so-annoyingly serious, forcing me to put you down? Or would I bring out the humanity, melt that icy exterior and make you become..." Another sigh, a deeper blush, "... even _more_ interesting? Suffice to say, kitten, you did _not_ disappoint. Such passion, such _fire_... literal _and_ figurative, I have a thing for both. You're simply radiant! I've not been so excited in _years_. I legitimately cannot decide whether it would ultimately be more satisfying to feed the flames more and see what else you have to show me, or extinguish them just so I can be the last person who ever sees you so _alive._ Ah... I really think I'm starting to fall in love..."

"Are... are you insane?" Signum asked. She couldn't really think of anything else to say. Was this... was she _serious_? Was this still all some elaborate attempt to make her lower her guard, or was this psychopath literally confessing to being _aroused_ by a duel to the death?

"Maybe a little bit." Amaterasu admitted. "Now then, let us dance!"

* * *

 

Fate turned away from Bardiche. "It's hard to be sure... Bardiche really isn't made for this sort of thing, and I'm already giving a lot of my mana to Arf. But... yes, from what I can tell, every member of the away team has been engaged."

Lindy smiled slightly. "Here we thought the opposition was stalling for time, but they're actually going for a divide and conquer. And with considerably more resources than we expected. ."

Fate blinked in confusion. "Admiral, if you don't mind my saying... you're taking this awfully well. You seem a little _too_ calm, considering the situation."

"Oh, I have my reasons." Lindy said amicably. "First of all, I think that _somebody_ should stay calm. You know, as a countermeasure to Amy."

From the central reactor room, halfway across the ship, Amy could be heard screaming in ultimate frustration. The lights, it must be noted, did not get even a _little_ brighter _,_ remaining just barely lit from the emergency backups.

"I can understand that." Fate said diplomatically.

"Second, you children," Lindy said, "Can take care of yourselves better than anyone I've ever met. You, Nanoha, Yuuno... and of course Chrono, though don't mention it to him when he's around, he'll get a big head... you're the light of the future. I have absolute faith in you."

Fate found herself blushing slightly in spite of herself. "Oh, um... th-thank you. I'm... I'm glad you feel that way..."

"And the third reason I'm so calm..." Lindy said with a small smile, "Well, that's a secret."

Fate's eyes narrowed. "Mother... you don't still have something planned, do you?"

"Not at all."

"Because I stood up for you when Chrono got angry that you've been keeping us in the dark. I'll feel bad if it turns out that he's right." Fate said.

Lindy patted Fate affectionately on the shoulder. "Don't worry, dear. I would _never_ keep my children in the dark."

The emergency lighting went pitch black, leaving Fate in the dark for several seconds before a soft humming filled the ship and it returned to its original dim glow.

"... that wasn't me." Lindy said.

 _Shamal?_ Hayate thought, watching the mother and daughter from across the room. _Do you ever get the feeling that all of our friends and co-workers are a bit... odd?_

 _That's all right. You're a bit of an odd girl yourself, so you fit right in._ Shamal thought cheerfully.

 _... ... there was a time when you didn't know how to tease me._ Hayate thought, her wistful tone suggesting she was starting to miss those days.

_Just one more way you've improved us, mistress._

* * *

 

 _Oh, dear._ Tsukuyomi thought. Her search program, unhindered by any other concerns or the need to defend herself, found the target more quickly than she'd been expecting. She liked the sound it made when it found something she was looking for; a soft bell-like 'ping' in her head. It was a very pleasant sound... ping, ping, ping. But this time, the ping didn't sound as good. The ping had betrayed her.

Just to be safe, she had Suijin tap the planetary ethernet, download an atlas so she could compare maps. It didn't take more than a few seconds to confirm her fears, unfortunately.

 _Everyone, we have a small problem._ She thought mildly to her brother and sister. _The Gate has been located._

 _That really doesn't sound like a problem._ Susanoo replied in a confused tone of thought.

_It appears to be in the northwest quadrant of the search zone._

_Oh, even better! I'm coming up on that area fast right now! Granted, I've got a pissed-off little red thing trying to hurt me while I'm doing that, but still._ Susanoo thought cheerfully. _This still sounds like good news to me!_

_Susa. Pay attention. Look around you, what do you see?_

_I... um... oh. Oh, crap. The sun was behind it, I thought it was a mountain formation, but those are..._

_Buildings. You are, if you've judged your location correctly and my link to the planetary datanet is accurate, approaching the city of Ravenna. The continental capital. Population eight point five million._

_... Damn. Where is Amaterasu? She's still conscious and active, but either she can't hear our communications or she just isn't listening._

_What was her opponent like again?_ Tsukuyomi asked, dread filling her. She showed this dread by blinking slightly more slowly than normal _._

_Er... tall, good-looking, her armor shows her legs off, Ammy was calling her 'kitten', and just judging by my own tussle with her she's good enough to make Ammy get really serious._

The two fell silent for several seconds.

 _Big sister is ignoring us._ They then thought in perfect unison.

 _Ugh, that freakin' hypocrite! If I act like that she gets angry, but when **she** decides to goof off she just expects us to carry on without her! _Susanoo thought. _Okay, I guess we're in command now, and what a wonderful time to have **that** happen._ _This is going to be brutal, Tsuku. Time barriers will help to a degree, but in a world with this much native magic... I'm not sure we'll be able to completely avoid putting civilians in the line of fire. Even if we weren't supposed to minimize civilian casualties, we're not at war with this world. If we were running a siege or an occupation campaign, that would be one thing, but these people are just in the wrong place at the wrong time._

 _Even worse, we can expect much stiffer resistance. The Bureau will do everything in their power to keep us out of that city, and they can be annoyingly creative._ Tsukuyomi agreed. _For now, put the barrier up if you can reach city limits past your opponent. No containment, just temporal/spatial displacement. Even people who aren't affected by it will be able to tell something is wrong and evacuate the area. As for you, hold your position to the edge of the city for now. I'll be by your side shortly, and we can decide what to do next._

 _Understood. I can hold until you get here._ Susanoo said, his thoughts sounding relieved. Tsukuyomi might be harsh towards combatants, but he knew he could trust her on this. Pointless civilian casualties didn't sit well with her, either.

 _This is going to be unpleasant._ Tsukuyomi thought, only to herself this time. _There are ways to minimize it, but I doubt we can totally avoid collateral damage_. _Why couldn't this have been like Earth, where the people could be easily phased out? Instead we'll have who-knows-how-many people in the line of fire. At least that girl isn't here... she's the sort who would blame herself if people got hurt nearby her, even if it wasn't her fault._

She wasn't sure why her thoughts had drifted in that direction. Nor was she exactly sure why she felt bad about the thought that Nanoha Takamachi might feel bad; it wasn't as though the bizarre little girl's emotional state was her responsibility. She wasn't family. She wasn't Tsukuyomi's master. She wasn't even an ally... no, worse, she was an _enemy._ Logically speaking, Tsukuyomi had no reason at all to be the slightest bit concerned about Nanoha Takamachi's mental well-being... and yet she found, oddly, that she was concerned.

Was it just because she was... well, nice? Tsukuyomi knew that most people found her somewhat off-putting. She wasn't quite sure why, and when she'd asked big brother and big sister their respective responses had been, "Really? Huh. Well, screw them. _I_ love you, and I probably count for like, fifty normal people!" and "Oh, you're just going after the wrong crowd. There's a real market for a legal-aged girl with your body type, so you could have a really huge fanbase if you play your cards right!"

That had, coincidentally, also been the time she'd realized that big sister should never be asked for advice related to her personal life.

Still, whatever the reason, it was something she couldn't change about herself and still be... herself. So she'd just learned to accept that she was never going to be a social butterfly. It had been hard at first... big brother and big sister were very social indeed, and it stung a bit to see them so easily accomplishing what she just couldn't seem to figure out. But that sting was more than salved by how thoroughly clear they made it that their connection to _her_ was the most important thing to them, and they would rather be by her side than anywhere else. Granted, big brother often showed this by being unecessarily loud and overprotective and dragging her around like a rag doll, and big sister had often expressed an interest in being much closer than Tsukuyomi preferred (The forced lap-sitting was already discomforting enough, but Tsukuyomi drew the line at her idea they should start bathing together. She could admit the practical benefits of having someone there to wash her back, but she could also comprehend that Amaterasu was not motivated by practicality so much as voyeurism). But still, it made her happy. They might have cared in odd ways, but they certainly cared a _lot._

And of course, during her career she'd had an entire royal family to look after, most of whom she met on the day they were born and bid them good-bye on the day they died. Realistically speaking, she had more personal connections than most simply by virtue of who she was and what her job was. It was only people who didn't know her that were a problem, and it wasn't hard to just ignore the confused and occasionally frightened looks she got upon interacting with them and just move on with her life.

Nanoha Takamachi had given her those same looks, and Tsukuyomi had not been surprised. She had, however, been _very_ surprised when the girl had then continued to attempt to connect with her regardless of the fact that their personalities were frankly not very compatible. But why? It made no sense. Why would anyone genuinely go to that much effort, even occasionally putting her own life in danger, for someone she didn't even know and logically speaking had no reason to even like? What kind of person would do that for a stranger, an _enemy_? She'd thought at first that it was some plan to subvert her loyalties, make her lower her guard, but she no longer believed the girl was that devious. Yet if Nanoha Takamachi's actions were motivated solely by 'kindness', then it was a bizarre, self-sacrificial kindness that bordered on madness, and Tsukuyomi didn't believe the girl to be insane any more than she believed her to be some sort of evil genius. She. Just. Made. No. _Sense._

 _Stop it. You're behaving like a child._ She rebuked herself. Susa was on the front lines and Amaterasu was being an idiot, and here she was in reverie! _I once accused Nanoha of being so open in an attempt to make me lower my guard. If she was genuinely trying to do that, it came close to success for a moment there. I'll need to be more cautious in the future._

She shook her head as if to clear out the annoying thoughts, and took to the skies. She had a job to do, and the objective had been confirmed.

And she didn't even notice that at the end, just for a moment, she'd started to think of Nanoha Takamachi by only her first name.


	24. Building Up and Breaking Down

Enlil nodded. "All right, they've found the Gate. It seems that everyone is engaged, mass chaos, absolutely nothing is going according to plan but we're managing to vaguely approach the objective regardless. Precia, it's your turn."

Precia Testarossa looked up from her status monitors. "I've already started the preliminary programs. The controlled Gates have shut down all unnecessary functions and begun devoting all memory to absorbing and retaining ambient energy. All we have to do is send the signal to activate the embedded program installed in the Drive units, and we can begin the main ritual at a moment's notice."

"There won't be any problems integrating the fourth Gate into the network? Any instabilities?"

Precia shrugged. "Assuming your..." _Hmmm, 'idiots' might be the wrong word to use in front of her, "_...subordinates succeed in activating it?"

"Assuming."

"It's possibly that we might be able to streamline the process to a degree if we spent a few hours writing it into the main equations, but frankly the change to our odds of success would likely not even be a full percentage point. I've really only done as much preparation as I've already done because we had the time to spare; in a process as fundamentally unstable as the one we're attempting, there's really only so much that can be done to remove instabilities. A fifth Gate to shoulder the burden would make a difference, ten hours moving numbers around in the spell programs probably would not. It's probably not worth the time, so we might as well just start the spell as soon as the Gate is active."

"All right." Enlil said. "In that case, I'll start integrating myself into the network. We can be ready to cast at a moment's notice if the situation requires it. For your part, I have a small task that needs accomplished and only you to do it. We have the 'target site' picked out, but this is the dimensional sea we're dealing with. You could make a legitimate argument that the target site doesn't actually exist. Therefore, I'd like some beacons to be set up on worlds around the 'edges' of the intended target zone, to cordon it off and help us more accurately choose the affected area. Anything caught in the reaction area will be wiped from existence, and I'd prefer not to destroy any useful worlds."

Precia arced one eyebrow. "I was under the impression you wanted me here in case something went wrong."

"We don't always get what we want." Enlil said primly. "I also wanted to avoid another massive, wasteful conflict and get the fourth Gate active quickly, at which point my guardians could place these beacons themselves in a matter of minutes. I didn't get _that_. I'm learning to adjust to disappointment."

"... fair enough." Precia said. "Give me five minutes to prepare the beacons, and then open the portal."

"You... are being unusually helpful." Enlil said, a combination of suspicion and curiosity in her voice.

"This is _it._ This is the end. If this fails, it was all a waste. So whatever my opinions of you... it is in my own best interests to ensure that this last phase goes perfectly." Precia replied fervently, a spark of that familiar zealousness in her eyes. She then said, in a slightly quieter, almost embarrassed voice that would have been sort of cute from anyone but her, "And, as a scientist, I must admit that the closer we get to the actual event, the more curious I become to see if it can actually be done. The theory is sound, but that's a far cry from a successful application."

"Ah. You see? I knew that you could be reasonable, given the proper motivation." Enlil said in a satisfied tone.

 _Once Alicia is safe, once I am holding her in my arms again, I am going to make absolutely sure she is secured somewhere that no one can harm her... and then, as I watch her grow up strong and healthy, I am also going to be **planning.** I am going to account for every variable, prepare for every possible contingency, so that the moment when you think you are safe is also the moment when I will finally be ready to make you **suffer** for the indignities you have heaped upon me and my family. And when that moment comes, all the power in the universe won't save you from the Hell I inflict upon you. Nothing will be able to protect you from me. You will **pay.** _Precia thought.

"I suppose that's true." Precia said.

* * *

 

Chrono Harlaown fell back.

If the cybernetic creatures had been more familiar with him, or capable of anything like creative reasoning, that would have been their first clue that they were in trouble.

As he flew, tiny sparks of blue light were released from Durandal to trail along his flight path. They faded from view in seconds, but seemed to accomplish nothing much beyond looking slightly pretty, and the Black Cats were apparently not big on aesthetics since they didn't seem to notice this. Which was too bad, since that was the _second_ clue that they were in trouble.

The long range unit was strafing along his path with some kind of small caliber firearm. That 'small caliber' had been a godsend, because he'd taken a few bullets already, and the shells were not powerful enough to pierce his barrier jacket and auto-defenses. So while they stung like Hell, and sustained fire was definitely out, as long as none hit a weak spot in his armor he could be fairly certain they wouldn't kill him. A simple shield would probably have stopped them completely, but Chrono had the impression that was exactly what they were trying to accomplish; spraying rapid fire in an effort to make him stop moving and fight defensively, then get skinned alive. Better for now to rely on maneuverability for defense and just stay out of the close combatant's range.

At least until he was finished releasing tiny, meaningless little sparks.

Speaking of which, he'd put enough space since the last one. He broke into a loop to throw the attackers for a second, and with an effort of will cast the spell once again. A small blue spark emerged from Durandal before fading into the air. _Yes, that should be enough, now I just have to line them up._

Chrono broke into a straight shot, abandoning evasion in favor of speed. This made him a perfect target, unfortunately, and he could see the twin attackers lining up to take their shots at him, but he wasn't really concerned. Right now, anybody in his flight path was in far more danger than he was.

He snapped his fingers, activating the series of delayed spells he'd painstakingly laid across the battlefield.

Each and every tiny, meaningless little blue spark that had 'disappeared' exploded into a starburst pattern of cold, blue light that made the ambient temperature even outside the blast zone sharply plummet, with the two cyborgs right in the middle of the storm. This was not a freezing magic for containment, like Eternal Coffin, but a magic specialized for destruction of artificial targets. Not ice, exactly, just a burst of unspeakably intense cold. The sort of cold that made joints lock, and lubricants freeze, and which most of all made metal very, very brittle.

A basic attack spell dealt with the problem fairly handily at that point.

Chrono looked upon the two shattered monsters, and shook his head. "Really. That's the problem with drones... the basic combat potential was good, but they just have no creativity. Even that idiot with the axe was harder to predict than these things."

_Hello, Fate? I've managed to clear out the situation on my end and I'm ready to move on to the main battle site. Do we have teleport control back?_

_Not... exactly._ Fate said delicately. _Amy and the engineering crew seem to have gotten the reactor re-initialized, but it was stopped cold for some time. It's going to take awhile for full power to be restored even though its running again, and even once that happens she says we'll have to manage most systems in short bursts to prevent it from being compromised._

_... she's really angry, isn't she?_

_She's said some curse words I didn't even know about_. Fate confirmed.

_Well, I guess that shouldn't surprise me. Just send me the coordinates, I'll go ahead on my own power. I should be able to manage a personal transport without too much stamina loss, and I'm not doing any good to anybody over here._

As he prepared the teleport, the spell circle lighting up the sky around him, Chrono considered. Where should he land, exactly? Near the others, yes, but teleporting into a running fight was both difficult and stupid, so not too close. Were there any particularly good starting points in the vicinity that Fate had outlined for him, any...

Ah. Ah-ha.

Something was resisting him in the area Fate had outlined, but not very strongly. Someone had set up a time barrier.

Oh, _Hell._ Weren't those coordinates a major city? And an encounter was already going on that close to...

Chrono sped up his casting.

* * *

 

Tsukuyomi could just barely see the spires of Ravenna, and had a clear view of her brother's barrier, when she encountered yet _another_ distraction.

"You... I remember you. You're the one who snared Susa the last time we encountered each other..." She said softly, halting her flight to face the boy in the black barrier jacket who materialized in the air in front of her. "You weren't with the team that arrived here. How did you find..."

"The barrier. I chose to start my search near the most obvious hotspot," Chrono said, "Apparently with good reason."

"Ah. Young man, I have little time, and you already know the details of my situation as far as I can reveal them. Move from my path or I will remove you by force."

"You're not the only one on a clock." Chrono said. "And I'm not the only one who should understand her situation. I'm sure you've heard this before, but: _You are under arrest._ If you come along quietly, it will be taken into consideration at your trial."

 _Big brother?_ Tsukuyomi thought. _I've been intercepted, so start moving in as much as you can. The Gate should be somewhere on the northeastern side of the city... look for any large transmitters or dimensional transport apparatus, they would likely be placed near the same leylines the Gates are. And... Susa, I would never ask you to target civilians intentionally, but do keep in mind that they are a **secondary** concern. Your first priority is to come back to me alive and victorious, big brother. _

_I... yeah. I gave my word to Ammy, too. I won't be aiming my fire at any orphanages or anything horrible like that, but... I can't promise that I'll be going all out unless I've no other choice. Even with the barriers up, I can already see people running to get off the streets, and I'm sure at least some of these buildings must be full. But I won't let this girl defeat me. I promise you that much._ Susanoo promised through their telepathic link.

 _Stay safe._ Tsukuyomi replied, recognizing that this was the closest she'd be getting to a real guarantee. With that out of the way, she narrowed her eyes and considered her combat options. _This boy's overall magical rating isn't too high, but I shouldn't underestimate him. Most of his powers are nothing special, but he has at least one spell that I must beware of... that freezing spell he used on Susa means instant defeat it if connects. I must not give him the opportunity to use it..._

Tsukuyomi held up one glowing palm. "Current, gather. Draw my foe beneath the waves..."

 **"Cascade Break."** Her staff said. Moisture from the air, even the clouds in the sky, passed from gas to liquid and gathered in a ball of liquid above her raised hand before hurtling at Chrono in a stream that could have crushed plate steel like tinfoil.

Chrono raised Durandal into the path of the incoming wave, the staff releasing a wave of blue light that met the liquid missile head-on and caused it to screech to a mid-air halt, before falling to the ground below and shattering like the ice it now was.

"Sorry." Chrono said, not even bothering to shoot a glance at the impromptu ice sculpture. "But I'm afraid your water-based magic won't be of much use against me."

Tsukuyomi tilted her head to one side. "Oh?"

It was about this point that Chrono realized something was wrong.

And then the jagged mass of crystals beneath Chrono shattered even more violently than they had from the fall _,_ becoming a storm of razors that shot upwards at Chrono at just barely subsonic speeds. He got a shield up... barely... but he still felt a contradictory mix of chill and warmth as one piece slipped by and grazed his cheek. Similar strikes occurred elsewhere in his body, but did only cosmetic damage to his barrier jacket.

"I am the goddess of the ocean." Tsukuyomi informed him calmly. "Water is mine to command. If I can control it as gas to gather it and liquid to attack with it, why would making it solid have any effect worth mentioning? If anyone should be saying, 'your magic won't be much use', it should be me. An affinity for ice just means that the blade I cut you down with will be colder."

 _Ha..._ Chrono chuckled bitterly inside his own head. _Not exactly an auspicious start to the battle. Still, first things first. Judging by her path when I encountered her, she was headed directly for..._

 _Everyone?_ He thought, switching over to telepathy. _I've intercepted one of the targets, and judging by her route, we may have a situation._ _It's beginning to look like their target is in the general vicinity of, or possibly even underneath, a major city to the north-northwest of my current position. I think it goes without saying that we cannot let them reach that location, no matter the cost._

 _Understood._ Signum replied tersely, before breaking the link without another word.

 _Understood._ Zafira replied tersely. He didn't break the link afterward, he just didn't have anything else to say.

 _That... might be a problem._ Vita thought.

... ... ... ... _why?_ Chrono asked, although deep down he didn't really want to know.

_Well, you see, me and Blue over here..._

' _Blue'_?

_Hey, if this jerk can give me an annoying nickname I can give him one back!_

... **_What_** _are you talking about?_

_Nothing important! Look, my point is that we've been moving around a lot. Sort of a running fight, we had to leave a site because we almost killed some teena... mice. Almost killed some mice._

_... ... ..._

_And the thing is, well... we sorta hit city limits three minutes ago. I tried to stop him, but he's pretty hard to pin down._ Vita thought.

 _Ah. Of course. Just what I wanted to hear._ Chrono thought dryly. _Tell me you've taken steps to limit exposure?_

_Of course! I raised the barrier as soon as we hit civilian areas; and actually this guy helped me out, too. No containment function, just time-displacement. Anyone caught in it will either be safe or at least warned to head for the hills._

_I suppose that's the best we can hope for... and Miss Vita?_

_Yeah?_

_I have my own problems to deal with, and I know you don't actually recognize any authority I have over you, so I'll just ask quickly: There are people in some of those buildings, so please don't destroy one every time you swing your hammer?_

_Geez, kid, you have **no** faith in me. _Vita thought indignantly.

* * *

 

Vita swung her hammer, and destroyed a building.

All right, not quite. The building had been under construction, which was why she'd tried to steer the battle toward it once it became clear that the only way she'd be getting the blue-haired boy outside the city was to use some powers that she couldn't safely use _inside_ the city. It was fortunate that the Barriers cleared out a solid portion of the populace, but they couldn't automatically remove anyone with the tiniest _hint_ of magical aura, and that unfortunately left enough people to have a good-sized panic. Local authorities were doing a decent job at crowd control and shunting the people to shelters, but even from her current vantage point Vita could see more than one totaled vehicle from drivers trying to avoid fleeing pedestrians. And there were still more of those to avoid. It would be at least a few minutes before the streets around her would be clear enough to cut loose, so she needed to move the fight somewhere she _could_ cut loose. With any luck, a building under construction wouldn't have many folks in or around it, and once she got him inside she could really wail on the jerk.

So she'd gotten him inside by hitting him really hard into the side of the thing. And that hadn't destroyed the building, _per se_ , though it had, sort of... shattered all of the windows and maybe possibly demolished a floor or two. The building hadn't really been what she'd call _destroyed_ until he'd launched his counterattack at her from _inside_ the structure, and the resulting explosion left the upper superstructure hanging off at a very weird angle. Oh, and showered Vita with shrapnel.

 _Damn..._ She thought, metal, glass and concrete shards bouncing off her shields. She cast her eyes downwards, scanning the streets, a few big chunks had been knocked loose and...

 _Damn!_ A section of girder much too large for her liking had good odds of landing either right in front of or right on top of a personal vehicle that was apparently choosing to take the back roads through the construction zones. It made a certain sort of sense, most major roadways were probably a mess right now, but they'd messed up and were far too close to the actual threat. And now Vita had a problem.

She dove, ignoring the smaller rocks and glass; they weren't falling that far, the metal roof of the car should be able to take them. She wasn't _certain_ of that, but she _was_ certain that it couldn't take half an I-beam slamming into it, so she had to hedge her bets and nail down the certain problem. And _nail_ was the appropriate term, since her only real option for stopping the beam in question was to, well... take the hammer to it. And the safest place to smash it to was right back into the building, so now the upper floors were a wreck, and at least one of the lower floors had also seen better days. Still, better an empty building than a full car.

...Oh, God, she wouldn't have to _pay_ for this stuff, would she? They couldn't charge her for property damage, right? Or like, add time onto her sentence?

 _Calm down, Vita. Get inside, beat the crap out of that guy, and make **him** pay for it. Yeah. That's right. _She thought. She took off then; not up, but _around_ the building at ground level. Once she'd made a full loop around the structure, then she started to climb, keeping the building between herself and where she assumed him to be. He had just collapsed most of the top floors, so she assumed that he would still be in there; he might be buried, or he might be planning an ambush. Either way, with what she had planned, it wouldn't really matter.

She flew straight up, above the building entirely. And up. And up.

Then she raised her hammer high above her head and came straight _down,_ letting Eisen lead the way and letting gravity add to the force of the blow. The impact sent made cars in the streets below literally _bounce_ from just the shock-wave, and more importantly caused the already-wavering top floors of the construction zone to finally finish collapsing, her assault giving them exactly the push they needed to fall... straight down into the structure and _onto_ the guy inside.

Vita stepped back, scanning the rubble. Unfortunately, now _she_ was the one who couldn't see what was going on. _I'm sure he was in here... if the attack connected, he should be out cold, but I'll still have to find him..._

A hand burst up through the debris from the floor below and clamped around Vita's ankle.

Vita looked down at this. _... unless the floor he was on collapsed and let him escape below the rest of the debris, so he's right under me._

"Don't you _dare_." She said to the hand, recognizing that she was probably in for something unpleasant.

Susanoo smiled, and in a smooth motion, pulled Vita down through the ceiling above him and whipped her through the floor beneath him.

Vita, lying on her back in a pile of debris, looked up through the hole she'd left and growled in annoyance. Plaster dust poofed off of her hair.

"Hey, you started it." Susanoo said.

Vita narrowed her eyes. "Well then, I guess it's only fair I finish it too. I was thinking about doing that by making you eat your own axe. Let's get working on that."

* * *

 

The long-range attacker opened up it's chest to reveal a cannon larger in diameter than Zafira's head, the barrel of which took on a violent red glow. The enormous bolt that fired from it after a brief charge was actually a feint, irritatingly enough... Yuuno raised a defense, only to have the beam split into six smaller shots that looped around it and required him to hastily construct a spherical defense rather than a flat wall, and as a result the impact was a little too hot for comfort. Still, once the smoke cleared, he and Zafira were still airborne, if slightly singed, so one point for Team Fuzzy.

Yuuno sighed. _This is beginning to get tedious._

Zafira, his coat matted from a few close calls but otherwise largely okay, spat shards of metal and plastic from his mouth. _At least you didn't have to bite one. They taste even worse than they look._

_I'm sorry it got so close. I'm not used to moving around as quickly as you do, and it's hard to compensate my spell positioning. Add those barrier-piercing blades to that and my defense isn't as spot-on as I'm used to._

_I'm not dead nor severely wounded. Thus, you are performing adequately._ The wolf replied.

 _Yes, but we're also getting nowhere fast. Chrono bought us some time, but we have to assume the worst will happen and get back to the main mission as soon as possible._ Yuuno stated firmly.

_Suggestions on how to accomplish this?_

_... hey, you're the knight, remember? I'm a librarian._ Yuuno said defensively.

Zafira did not chuckle. It would have ruined his image. _Very well. I do have one thought, though it will be a risk. Leave me._

_Excuse me?_

_We separate, and you focus all of your energy into binding one of them, preferably the one configured for close combat._

_They have some bind-breaking or nullifying abilities, or at least the last ones I faced did._ Yuuno warned. _A binding will be hard to hold for long and probably won't keep it from moving enough to prevent it from defending itself unless I catch it off-guard somehow._

_That is fine. The actual purpose of this is to make the long-distance shooter target you in order to free the other. Then, when its focus is on you..._

_You rush it?_

_Correct._

_There's a lot of ways that could go wrong._

_Also correct._ Zafira agreed. _Risk is a part of any battle. If this works we'll have achieved a decisive advantage._

 _Well... you're the knight._ Yuuno said. The ferret released it's grip on the wolf's fur, becoming a young man in flash of light as the transformation magic canceled. One hand stretched toward his target, and he snapped, "Chain Bind!"

It must be stressed that it as not Yuuno's fault that things ended up going so wrong. Nor was it Zafira's. It was just that sometimes a plan doesn't go according to plan. Most of the time, actually. And therefore, you couldn't really blame him for this one going a little off.

The chain snapped out from the green circle that appeared in the air around Yuuno, snaring the cyborg he targeted. This was perfectly according to plan, magnificently so. The creature was actually able to cut one of the lines, which was not good, but Yuuno was able to compensate by strengthening the other chains and keep the thing, if not perfectly contained, then at least restricted. So it was unable to utilize those nasty blades at anything that didn't come right up to it.

And _that_ was when things went wrong.

As planned, the distance-attacker redirected it's weaponry in Yuuno's direction. The young man raised his shields, completely confident in his ability to repel anything it had to offer. Zafira looped around the battlefield, trailing silver light like a comet as he came in at the creatures unprotected flank at his top speed. The impact would occur in seconds, and the creature was locked into a firing pattern. If it tried to turn rapidly, the recoil would throw off its aim anyway, so there wasn't much chance of it hitting Zafira solidly enough to halt his charge. And the Guardian Beast was moving so quickly and was so infused with magic, nothing short of a direct hit from one of the thing's higher-powered weapons would be enough to halt him. He'd strike, and crush the disgusting thing with a single blow, tear its head off with a single bite...

Yuuno and Zafira as a team, it must be noted, had a fundamental flaw: they were too similar. Even with Zafira focusing entirely on offense, the majority of his offense was bindings and restrictive barriers. This meant that while their defense was basically impenetrable, their offense was better suited for hindering the enemy rather than actually destroying unless Zafira could get into range to use his close-quarters attacks. This meant that while the enemy had never truly pressed them, they had not pressed the enemy much either.

In such circumstances, it was easy to forget that while the two Black Cats might have fought separately, it was really smarter to think of them as one organism. When one saw a threat that it didn't have a good targeting angle on... the other one saw that threat too.

The cyborg that Yuuno had snared rotated, withdrew its blades, and released a bolt of sickly red light from a shoulder-mounted weapon that emerged from its armor, all in a single smooth motion. It was not attempting to shoot Zafira, because it could no more acquire a target solution in time than its partner; what it _could_ do, however, was fire _ahead_ of the charging Beast and strafe along his path to force him to pull back or risk running into a coherent beam of death.

And the other cyborg, the one that Zafira had been attacking, extended a glowing red blade from its wrist and lunged.

 _No!_ Yuuno thought. Their divide-and-conquer tactic had been turned against them completely. Zafira had been forced into evasive maneuvers right out of a high-speed charge; he might not be able to right himself in time to defend properly after breaking out of an attack like that. Yuuno tried to extend his binding, snare the other attacker before it could reach his teammate.

 **Defensive Skill: Magic Cancel.** That familiar, strangely sourceless electronic voice said, the first time that any of the cyborgs had invoked one of the magic-like systems the other models had shown. The chains wrapped around the cyborg that Yuuno had already snared grew dim as its built-in defenses stole the energy from them; they held, but the newly formed and unstable ones branching off from them did not, fading away into nothing before ever reaching their target.

The cyborg, however, reached its target quite handily.

* * *

 

"Status, ladies?" Mizetto asked calmly.

Amy wiped some sweat from her brow and smiled in fierce satisfaction. "I think we're in business, Admiral."

Talia wiped some sweat from _her_ brow and scowled at Amy. "To a degree."

Amy winced. "Okay, yes. To a degree. We can still only be perfectly certain of one or two systems at a time, which means that we really need to keep our efforts on maintaining primary power and life support. Secondary systems, like sensors and transportation..."

"Must, by necessity, be used sparingly." Mizetto finished for her. "Understood. Just do what you can."

"Well, for now, let's see what we can do about sensors." Amy said. "Maybe if we activate and deactivate them in rapid pulses, we can get... at least brief images of what's going on out there. I don't like us in the dark like this."

"A reasonable starting point." Mizetto agreed. "Please inform the young miss Harlaown to continue her efforts to maintain a communications network with the away team, as well. If we're going to resolve this situation, accurate data is a must."

Amy giggled slightly. "No need for _that_ order. Give that girl a job and she'll stop working when it's finished or she passes out from exhaustion, whichever comes first."

Admiral Mizetto smiled slightly. "A trait shared by many in the new generation, from what I've seen. I remember that youthful fire, though I wonder if I was ever personally quite so... well..."

"Insane?" Talia supplied.

"I was going to say 'spirited' but, well... you've seen their files." the Admiral agreed.

"Well, let's go give them the support they need to be insane in the right place at the right time!" Amy said enthusiastically. "I'm going to go see what I can do about getting one or two more systems online. If we had a little more computing power to throw around, but we don't exactly have another nine days to piece together something usable, and even the mage devices we can trust couldn't manage the load of the ship's computers enough to be much help, so..."

"Excuse me?" Hayate asked, wheeling herself into the room.

"Miss Yagami? I thought you were in medical." Admiral Mizetto said kindly.

"Oh, I'm not actually wounded... well, any more than usual at least. I just have overprotective guardians." Hayate said in a slightly embarrassed tone. "But Fate is in the same situation I am and found a way to help out anyway, so I thought I would come up to the bridge and see if there was anything I could do. And, well... you say you need more computer capacity? I know a normal mage's device can't manage that sort of load, but what about the little one here?"

Hayate held up her sealed device, and from it projected the holographic image of a tiny white-haired girl with shining blue eyes and a brilliant smile. "Rein is a Belkan unison device... fully autonomous, capable of merging with and regulating all the data in a human brain. She's still reformatting and regenerating herself, so she can't maintain a body of her own yet, but her capacity for data storage and manipulation is already much higher than an Intelligent Device. Is there anything she could do to help?"

"Oh! Oh! I bet there _is!_ " Rein said cheerfully.

Amy smiled slowly. "I bet, too."

"I was _right!_ That makes me the winner!" Rein cheered.

* * *

 

Precia Testarossa dropped the small, cylindrical metal object. Upon touching the ground of some insignificant world she hadn't even bothered to remember the name of, it sprouted several small legs to steady itself, then began boring into the crust. Once it had penetrated several meters straight down, it stopped and began to pulse, emitting a location signal to cordon off their selected target zone.

The entire process lasted about thirty seconds and took absolutely no effort or even really thought on Precia's part. A trained monkey could have managed this duty (were that monkey, like Precia, possessed of sufficient magical power and skill to manage multiple personal dimensional transports in succession while still possessing enough energy to function. So in reality, it would have taken a truly exceptional monkey to actually manage this task without a sizable support network).

"Finally, a chance to use my degrees." She said dryly, observing the aftermath of her highly specialized and difficult task of dropping a small thing onto some dirt. She then began preparing her next dimensional transfer... she had five more of these to set, and the sooner she got done with this tedious busywork, the better.

The bolt of pink light, compressed for additional piercing power, ripped through the cybernetic creature's barrier and armor in a single smooth instant. Shards of metal and plastic shattered off from the main body, falling to splash into the ocean below. The creature's left arm hung limply at it's side, crushed motors and torn wires sparking uselessly.

Nanoha sighed and slightly lowered her staff. Compressing the energy to give it enough stopping power to get through their defense hadn't been easy, but the gamble had paid off. "Chrono said that you two aren't alive, and you can't really make your own choices. I'm holding back because that's the kind of thing I have to be absolutely certain about.

"You two might have had a chance against me before, but this battle is clearly going in my favor. You're too damaged to fight at full effectiveness, and if you can't do that, even two against one won't let you defeat me. If you have any sort of mind or free will in there at all... I'd suggest you run."

The newly damaged cyborg seemed to almost briefly consider this. Then it reached up with its other hand and ripped the useless limb completely off to discard the excess weight. Unlike the earlier lost debris, this severed limb contained sensitive circuitry and was recalled by central control, vanishing in a burst of static. This done, the cyborg readied it's remaining blades, staying stubbornly in place between Nanoha and the other unit, which remained at range.

Nanoha shuddered. Not just at the way that the creature had sacrificed a limb in the same totally unaffected manner that a person might have displayed when cutting short a skirt that was too long, but because blood was dripping from among the sparking machinery... she doubted she'd ever get used to that. Or that she'd ever want to. Steeling her resolve, she returned Raising Heart to a ready position. "I see. That's too bad, then."

She really hadn't wanted to solve this scenario by blasting everything to kingdom come. Truthfully, she had more important things to deal with and would have preferred to end this situation without wasting energy. But at the moment, _time_ was becoming more important than stamina. At least they'd been kind enough to provide yet more proof that holding back was pointless...

The distance attacker shakily leveled it's own damaged limbs, lobbing some sort of grenade. Nanoha, being smarter than a rock, instantly assumed that there was more to a slow, unguided projectile than met the eye, and her paranoia was rewarded quickly enough. The grenade exploded in a cloud of smaller explosive darts that rained over the area. _Not much power behind them, though. Anti-personnel weapon, for clearing out light targets._ Once again, Nanoha was struck with a sense of sadness. They were even running out of ordinance that could really harm her. How could anyone do that to a person, to even strip away so much as their sense of self-preservation? Maybe Chrono was right after all, and not holding back would be doing them a favor.

She dodged beyond the edges of the cloud without too much difficulty; no need to waste energy defending if she didn't have to. Just in case, she kept a watch on the small darts to be sure they really were purely ballistic and didn't have some kind of homing function, even as she concentrated a new combat spell in her mind to...

"Wark?" said a very faint sound from far beneath her, perched on a rock in the shallows.

Nanoha's eyes widened at the implications of this.

Now, looking in from the outside, what she was about to do seemed pretty stupid. Unreasonable at the very least, completely moronic at worst. But to her, it seemed to really be the only viable option. It didn't make much sense, she could admit that, but she simply couldn't imagine doing anything differently. It was only natural for her. After all, most heroes don't get to be that way by always doing the smart thing.

 **"Flash Move."** Raising Heart said, the enhancement giving Nanoha a short, sharp burst of speed. When next she became easily followed by human eyes, she was a considerable distance from her former position... and in a move that seemed to make even the Black Cats confused, directly _in_ the path of the missiles that she had previously avoided without much trouble. She held up her hand, a circle of magic appearing before her palm as her defensive magic materialized. One by one the projectiles struck and detonated, the smoke obscuring Nanoha's form and each impact visibly rocking her even through her shield. Despite this, she firmly held, sweat running down her face, until the final explosive was blocked.

Power still burning in her palm, she lowered her hand. Even as the shield vanished, magical power began to brilliantly shine around her body and staff.

"I don't care," She said calmly, even as raw power blazed around her, "If you point those guns at me. That's fine. But if you're going to be so careless with your weaponry, then I can't just stand by. There are people I need to deal with still, so I was hoping to solve this problem efficiently and leave myself plenty of energy to do that... but if you're going to start endangering innocent bystanders, I'll have to settle for solving it quickly."

"Wark?" the penguin said, standing right where the missiles would have struck if Nanoha hadn't deflected them. It wasn't the smartest of creatures, but it seemed to be vaguely aware that something bad had almost happened to it and the Weird White Flying Thing That Gave Food had prevented this.

She smiled at the little bird. "Don't worry, little fella, I won't let them hurt you. Now why don't you run along? It really isn't safe here, and it's going to be even less safe once I get started."

"Wark." The penguin said, waddling over to the water and hopping in. Agreeable birds, really. She wondered if there was some law against importing alien animals to other worlds, because her mother and sister had been sort of down ever since Yuuno left, and these birds seemed clean, friendly, and easy to train.

"Good boy." She said warmly. The magic surrounding her as an aura crystallized into a circle around her, and Raising Heart loaded three cartridges in rapid succession, before ejecting the empty clip. Nanoha slammed another clip in, and two more of the shells loaded. "All right then... since you two don't seem to understand the theory behind accurate firing control, let me show you what it looks like."

* * *

 

Their battle had kept going in much the same way it had initially begun.

The thing about Vita and Susanoo was that both of them used as their primary strategy, 'Hit the other guy really hard'. And while both of them were durable enough to _take_ being hit really hard, the building they were fighting in was not. And, as a result, the fight had essentially devolved into, 'hit the other guy really hard, and then try to maintain a little control when the floor inevitably collapses and you fall through'. Susanoo of course also had to deal with the added statute of 'Try not to land on top of Vita when you fall because she already sort of thinks you're a pervert after that whole panty incident, and she'll get mad. Plus, do you really want to give Big Sis more ammunition?', but it still added up to mostly the same thing.

Okay, that last part only really applied to one of the two combatants, but still. They progressed through the half-built structure, demolishing it as they went and falling floor by floor. It was a pretty tall building, but they were pretty efficient destroyers, so it wasn't all that long before an overhand chop from Vita sent the both of them finally tumbling into the basement. _I hope there's not a sub-basement. If I can get at him in an environment that's not falling to pieces, I can probably get some good shots in._ Vita thought cheerfully, jumping down after him. Things were finally looking up a little bit!

Susanoo leapt smoothly to his feet and swung his glowing blade upwards to intercept her downward attack. The two weapons cast of waves of energy that tore divots in the concrete walls, and the sheer force of her assault made the ground beneath his feet crack, but he most definitely did _not_ fall through the floor. Score, this really was the lowest level! But... um... wasn't there something weird about...?

Susanoo was not exactly stupid; it was just that he had a tendency to stick to the first idea he came up with in any situation, and largely ignored anything that might derail that thought, even when it became obvious that something was wrong. But he was, especially in a combat situation, surprisingly observant, and even as he hurled Vita against one of the walls in a shower of sparks and braced himself for her inevitable counter, his mind added up several things that he had observed but hadn't really considered until now, and they began to make him a little bit worried about something.

 _Well, that's not good._ He thought. _Can't enjoy the fight if I'm distracted. But I hate to stop it if this doesn't turn out to be important, so should I bother to bring it up? Hmmmm... yeah, I should at least ask her. She might know something I don't know._

Vita emerged from the Vita-shaped indent in one of the basement walls, and in single smooth motion landed on catlike on her feet and charged her opposition hammer-first, with intent to put him into the floor if she couldn't put him through it.

Susanoo responded to this ferocious assault by holding up one hand and saying, "Wait, wait, wait. Time out!"

Vita stopped in mid-swing, skidding to a halt on her heels and her eyes widening in some combination of surprise, confusion, and annoyance. " _Time-out?_ " She asked in disbelief, apparently blind to the irony that she had essentially created a time-out in the fight by stopping to complain about her opponent trying to call a time-out.

"I have a question. Is it weird that there were _no_ people in this building at all? Like construction crews? I mean sure, some of them would be affected by the barrier, but shouldn't at least a few still be here? I haven't seen or sensed anybody." Susanoo said.

"I don't know! Maybe?" Vita said. What kind of a question was that? Hadn't this guy ever heard of not looking a gift horse in the mouth? There was nobody here, they didn't have to hold back, don't complain!

"Well... I mean, another thing, doesn't this building break a little too easily? Like, shouldn't newly completed construction be sturdier?"

Vita was about to answer that no, this wasn't unusual, she was just really great at breaking stuff. Then she heard something that changed her mind: a soft beeping sound, with intermittent crackles of static. It had been easy to miss while they were fighting, but now that things were silent it wasn't hard to pick up.

As one, Vita and Susanoo turned to look at the source of the noise.

"Well." Susanoo said calmly, looking at the white plastic discs covering the buildings lower supports, at least one of which was cracked and releasing sparks. "Those look like demolition charges to me."

"Yup." Vita said, also surprisingly calm. "Seems this building was set to be demolished. I thought it was under construction when I led us here, but I guess it looked half-finished because it was being taken apart and stripped of any remaining useful materials before they blew out the bottom and collapsed it. Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

"I don't see a timer, so they're probably remote detonation. Blow out the foundation, the whole structure collapses straight downward. As long as the immediate area is cleared, nobody gets hurt at all. Unless they're like, in the basement. Like us." Susanoo said.

"What do you suppose are the odds," Vita asked, "That the one over there is sparking because we damaged it when we fell down here, and it's going to blow up any second now?"

They both considered this for a moment.

Then they took off for the hole they'd fallen through to get here, as fast as they could. It was pretty fast. Not fast _enough_ , but still.

It really was a very clean demolition job. The support struts removed and lower floors demolished, the building collapsed directly downwards like a telescope being folded up. With the area around it clear, there was no danger to anyone; it just blew up a huge cloud of dust and looked terribly impressive. Unless you were, like... in the basement.

The actual collapse was, of course, very loud. But once it finished and the last chunks of sliding rubble finished moving, it was very quiet for several very, very long minutes. Indeed, by the time something began stirring in the rubble, nearly all of the dust had already settled.

Vita pushed a section of wall off her back and crawled from the debris, coughing up dust. "Ow..." She said.

A minute or two later, Susanoo did and said much the same.

Vita took a deep breath, cleared the last of the drywall out of her throat, and looked in his general direction.

" ** _You idiot!_** " She roared, making him jump about a foot out of his skin.

"Wh-what? Why am I an idiot?" He asked indignantly.

"You almost got us both killed! And then when the stupid bomb went off you hid behind _my_ shield!"

"I needed a stable defense in place so I could attack upwards to intercept falling debris and keep a path out of the rubble open! And besides, it was _your_ fault we were in that building in the first place!"

"Yeah, but it was _your_ fault that it exploded! Throwing lightning around when a bomb is in the room!"

" _I didn't know about the bombs!_ And hey, it wouldn't have mattered if _you_ hadn't knocked us into the basement!"

"We could've avoided the city all together if _you_ hadn't steered us in!"

"Well..."

" _And_ we wouldn't even be on this _planet_ if it weren't for you!" Vita finished in utter triumph.

"Um... uh... well..." Susanoo said, totally lost for a meaningful reply. Oh well, time to go for a meaning _less_ reply, then. "Well... you're really small!"

" ** _What?_** "

"You're like... like Smally McSmall!" He continued. Yeah, it was petty. He didn't care.

Vita's eyes narrowed in wrath. There could be only one response. "Well, at least my _brain_ is bigger than yours!"

"Tiny! Tiny! Tiny!"

"Dummy! Dummy! Dummy!"

The two knights, each an ancient and mighty warrior of immense power and dignity, stuck their tongues out at each other. It looked _exactly_ as stupid as it sounds.

"Wait..." Susanoo said, holding up a hand. As the tall one ( _Ha! I'm taller than her! Tiny! Tiny!)_ he felt it was incumbent upon him to be the voice of reason. "We're being irrational."

Vita took a deep, calming breath, and nodded reluctantly. "Yeah. You're right. We have to be logical about this. How does this sound... we both fly up to high sky, away from innocent people. We beat the tar out of each other. And whoever loses has to admit that the building exploding was their fault."

Susanoo considered this for a moment. Finally, after much deliberation, he said, "Oh, I _like_ you."

* * *

 

Precia nodded as the final beacon activated and began digging into the crust. It was hard to be truly satisfied, given that the task she has just undertaken could have been performed just as well by a trained monkey (though again, it would have to have been a pretty exceptional... oh, you get the idea), but at least it was over and done with. What to do now, though... head back and continue attempting to streamline the essentially unstreamline-able process? Or head to Rienne and once again dirty her hands with combat in an attempt to aid the Gate activation? Frankly, neither option sounded pleasant, but she was aware that, given the importance of the situation, she really ought to do _something._

So... she could either risk her life in bloody conflict or spend time with Enlil.

War it was, then.

* * *

 

Hayate's sealed device rested on the console, and Reinforce Zwei's image hovered above it. The little holographic girl floated with her hands outstretched, her eyes closed in concentration.

Around her, lights danced. Beneath her... machinery _functioned._

"Oh, you are one amazing little piece of equipment, aren't you?" Amy muttered in wonder.

"Please don't refer to my family as 'equipment'." Hayate said. "Particularly when she's concentrating too hard to respond to you herself."

"Sorry, couldn't help it." Amy said, a cheerfully wicked smile fixed on her lips. "I just totally love my new little Belkan cheat code. Ladies and gentlemen, we are officially running our backups at 27% of main computer capacity."

Talia sighed. "And it really says something about how horrible the situation is that we're considering that to be _good._ "

"It's better than nothing!" Amy said stubbornly. "It's enough to let us manage most of the systems we need to play backup, without worrying about the enemy forcing us to vent our atmosphere or something absurd like that. If we come under attack or anything that requires all the systems at once, then yes we're in trouble. But if we just have to be the support network, then I'd say we're in business!"

Then the alarm klaxon went off.

Amy's eyes narrowed. "Oh, come _on._ What is it now? What are you throwing at me _now,_ hiding in your secret evil lair and making a mess of my ship? Going to make the food processors shoot bees? Force the engines spin us in circles until we all get so dizzy we throw up? _Make the food processors shoot bees that cause nausea?_ Bring it _on_ you bastards, I can take whatever you've _got_."

Hayate raised a hand hesitantly. "Um... actually, I think that's a field alert. According to the readouts, it seems a high-priority threat signature has been detected near the main battle site. It's... oh dear."

Amy read the analysis of the magical signature that had appeared in the combat zone on Rienne, and the indications that it was a very familiar signature indeed.

"Oh, my. Is that Precia Testarossa? The magus who fell into the dimensional void and recently became known as the first recorded person to do so and survive? The SS-class archmage who rendered a vast swathe of Mid uninhabitable as a result of her unprecedented experiments? _That_ Precia? And she's on the battlefield right now?" Talia Aston said, eyes widening. "God, you people really do rack up the enemies, don't you?"

"We're just lucky that way, I guess..." Amy muttered. "Um... if Fate is handling communications for us, I'd assume she's also monitoring the situation. If she sees this..."

" _Er... excuse me? Shamal to bridge?"_ Shamal's voice said over the ship's intercomm. " _Would it be possible to send some security officers down to Medical? It seems Miss Fate is on her way to Teleport Control."_

"... and why would that require security intervention?" Amy asked, her stomach sinking.

" _Well, Admiral Lindy tried to forbid her from leaving the ship by locking her in the medical bay, and Fate... got out."_ Shamal said. " _By cutting the door down."_

Hayate sighed. "It seems that Fate might have seen it."

* * *

 

"Fate, you're being unreasonable." Lindy said. She was aware that her daughter was in an emotionally confusing place right now, and was trying to solve this problem as a mother rather than an authority figure.

"I don't think I am." Fate said calmly, stalking through the halls with her barrier jacket active and a glowing scythe in her hands, looking like a tiny, adorable incarnation of Death.

It should be noticed that Lindy was having mixed results in her problem-solving efforts.

"You're wounded. Not at your best. You shouldn't..." Lindy said.

"I'm _fine._ Don't worry, mother." Fate said, with a not-quite-genuine smile.

"Are you? You know how dangerous Precia is. Even at your best you might not be able to face her."

"I _can._ More than that, I think I have to." Fate answered firmly. "Mother... I've been doing a lot of thinking about her. What I should feel about her, what I should do about her. I've had a lot of time to consider it. And I think that... well, I think that I need to save her. If... maybe if even the 'doll' she made all those years ago stands up to her and stops her, she could maybe finally be convinced that she can't succeed. She'd never admit it on her own, but if I can _force_ her to see that what she's trying to do is impossible, then there's a chance that I can finally bring this mad crusade she's been on all these years to an end. Then, if she can move on with her life, then maybe... maybe someday..."

Fate paused, shaking her head as if to clear the cobwebs from her thoughts. "I don't really think that the two of us could ever be 'family'. Not really, not after everything that's happened between us. But she, even if she's never really going to be a 'mother' to me, she still gave me life. If I can at least bring her to a point where she can show something to the world besides rage and pain, to the point where she and I can at least interact as _people,_ instead of 'doll and doll-maker'... then I want to do that. I _need_ to."

Lindy sighed in resignation. "Fate... I understand how you feel. But can you promise me that once you're face to face with her, you'll be able to stay this calm? That anger, or fear, or even pity won't have some effect on how you pursue this case? A mage in battle has to be focused on the task at hand. Can you _promise_ me that your thoughts and feelings won't interfere with this at all?"

Fate smiled softly. "I'm not confused anymore, mother. It took me awhile, but I found my path, and I've found my resolve. I can do this, I _know_ it."

Lindy laid a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "And what about Arf? If you go into battle now, you'll have to cut the supply of mana you're giving her. She'll experience a sudden, sharp power decrease during a combat situation. Are you willing to risk her life for your own purposes?"

It was a bit strange to watch. Before Lindy's eyes, her daughter seemed to almost deflate, the reality of her situation kicking her new resolve right in the teeth.

"I... I... no. You're right, I couldn't put her at risk, of course. But _w_ hat about the others? Mothe... Precia is extremely powerful. Her presence on the battlefield, particularly at bombardment range, could throw the tide of the whole battle against us. It would take her some time, but if nobody engages her she could begin setting up high ritual magics and targeting our mages from halfway across the continent. So _someone_ has to stand up to her, and if it's not me, then who exactly would you..." Fate began.

"Me." Lindy said cheerfully.

"Wait, what?" Fate asked, her brief bout of depressed resignation now replaced with shock and considerable confusion. She wasn't sure what to say. _I'm sorry, Mother, I must have had something **insane** caught in my ear, because it sounded like you just said you were going to go into the field personally. _That would probably have been impolite.

"I shall handle this situation personally, in your place. If Precia is your responsibility, and as my daughter you are _my_ responsibility, then it stands to reason that she is my responsibility by proxy. So I will head into the field and bring her into custody personally." Lindy said, still with that same sunny cheer. "It's been ages since I've done a real field operation... why, since the last Testarossa case, I believe, when I sealed the Garden of Time's power source. It ought to be very refreshing to flex those muscles again."

Fate said the only thing that really made sense in this situation.

"... Are you serious?"


	25. Burning Sky

"Mother, you can't really be serious."

"No, I really am." Lindy said cheerfully. She was clad in a typical field agent's Barrier Jacket. "And take a look at me! Aren't I cute? Though I guess this outfit really does look good on anybody."

"I... aren't you supposed to stay with the ship? You're in command." Fate said, trying very hard to think of reasons that Lindy should not... well, do this totally insane thing she was trying to do.

"No, Admiral Mizetto is. _I_ am going out into the field. Ah, the life of a field operative, how I've missed it." Lindy said. Still cheerfully, in case you were interested.

"But... but..." Fate said, her brain having a little bit of difficulty coping with this bizarre behavior. "Mother, my... er, my _other_ mother... you don't know how strong she is! She's at her full power again, and she could really kill you!"

"I'm sure she'll try." Lindy agreed, once again cheerfully. It was as if she had no mode other than 'cheerful' at the moment.

"I'm more worried that she'll succeed!" Fate protested. "She's an SS-ranked mage!"

"Technically that ranking is outdated and doesn't apply to combat ability. She might deserve higher." Lindy agreed. Cheerfully, of course.

"That's... mother, you aren't even a front-line combatant, and you don't even have a device! How can you think you could defeat her one-on-one?"

"What? Of course I... oh, that's right, I didn't show you." Lindy said, reaching into her pocket and withdrawing a small black card. "I... er... borrowed it."

"Oh, that's not the important part and you know it, mother! Some random standard-issue storage device won't change the fact that you aren't a combat..." Fate blinked. "Wait is that S2U...? Mother... please tell me you didn't steal that from Chrono."

"Borrowed! I _borrowed_ it from Chrono. Without him noticing, admittedly, but still. It's just that it's an excellent piece of equipment, and since he doesn't use it anymore I really thought I should have something to give me that extra edge. I'll give it back!" Lindy said defensively, clutching the tiny black sealed device.

"... you know what, it's not important right now." Fate said, shaking her head as if to force her thoughts back on track. "Mother, I can't just let you go and do this. You don't know how powerful _or_ how unstable she is, and she'll..."

Lindy placed a calming hand on Fate's shoulder. "Fate, please. I'm happy that you're worried about me, but I can take care of myself. And besides, it's a parent's job to worry about their child, not the other way around. I'll be fine, and I'll be right here to fret over you the next time _you_ go on a dangerous mission." Lindy said. "All right, Amy. I'm ready to transmit whenever you are."

" _Um... Admiral, I hate to agree with Fate, but I agree with Fate. Are you really **serious** about this **?**_ " Amy asked over the intercom.

"Quite so, Amy." Lindy said cheerfully. It was starting to get old. "Now, send me to the last detected location of the criminal Precia Testarossa, if you don't mind?"

 _"But..._ "

"Now, Amy." Lindy said. She no longer sounded all that cheerful.

 _"Yessir, sorrysir, rightawaysir!"_ Amy babbled, and Lindy disappeared in a shower of light.

"Amy." Fate said. "Prepare a transit for me, too."

_"Aren't you supposed to be on sick leave?"_

"My friends are in danger, and my mother is most likely walking to her death! I don't _care!_ " Fate said firmly.

" _Yeah, I guess I should have expected that._ _But what about Arf? Admiral Lindy said..."_

"Yes, I know. That's why you're _sending_ me to Arf. I'll help her get out of her situation, and then the two of us will head straight to the main battlefield. Is that understood?"

" _B-but your mom said..."_

"Now, Amy." Fate said. She sounded eerily like her mother. Eerily like _both_ of her mothers, somehow.

" _... Harlaowns are scary..."_ Amy said.

* * *

 

Precia's mind traveled the world. _One, two, three, four, five..._ she thought, spotting out potential targets. _This should be amusing for the twenty minutes it takes me to kill every last one of them._

High-end distance bombardment magics were perhaps her greatest asset, combat-wise. She could, with sufficient preparation, knock unshielded spacecraft offline and strike targets in different _dimensions;_ she knew this because she had _done_ so. Granted, such a feat would be impossible without the Garden of Time to assist in aiming and spell transfer, but striking targets in the same world, from a scant few kilometers away? By the time anyone realized what was going on and tracked her down, she'd already have thrown the course of battle irrevocably in her side's fav-

Precia sighed in annoyance at the tell-tale sound of an incoming teleport behind her. She turned and raised an eyebrow. "Only one? Somebody's overconfident."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I mean, it's so hard to tell the difference between 'overconfident' and 'just confident enough', isn't it?" Lindy asked. Cheerfully.

Precia blinked several times, in some combination of surprise and confusion. "To be blunt, if I was to be attacked by a lone idiot, I was expecting it to be a lone idiot I recognized. Fate, or perhaps the little white brat. You're... nobody." Though she hated to admit it, but there was _something_ painfully familiar about the oddly cheerful woman.

"Lindy Harlaown. We've never met face-to-face, but I was the commanding officer of the _Asura_ during the Jewel Seed incident." Lindy said. Ah, well, that explained it. She'd been on the Bridge of the ship when Precia had contacted it, of course. She was familiar because Precia had heard her voice before. Granted, Precia had not been, perhaps, in the clearest frame of mind at the time, so details were hard to come by, but this at least explained the nagging sense of _deja vu_. "And now I'm here to ruin you again, if that's all right? Wait... wait, I was supposed to say something, wasn't I? Oh, yes: You're under arrest. Should you not resist, you will have the right to defend yourself in a court of law. Oh, just listen to me! I've still got it, don't I? I sound so official!"

Precia blinked a few more times. Surprise was rapidly leaving the combination of emotions she was feeling, but confusion was still right there. "Are... are you _serious_?" She asked.

"Why do people get asking me that?" Lindy sighed. "Yes, I am quite serious, Ms. Testarossa, and you are quite seriously under arrest. Now, will you surrender?"

Precia considered this briefly. "Guess." She said, and flicked her fingers almost idly.

A solid wall of violet lightning slammed mercilessly into Lindy's hastily raised shield... and crushed it like a boot on a soda can, ripping through it to run across her staff and barrier jacket, tossing her through the skies in electric spasms. She somehow didn't fall from the air, but she was in obvious agony; the hands that held her borrowed staff were burned, her breath came in short gasps, and sections of her barrier jacket were visibly smoking.

Precia smirked. "I was expecting this to take a _little_ effort, you know."

With visible effort, Lindy raised her head and brushed a charred lock of hair out of her eyes. "You're... still... under... arrest..." she gasped.

Precia rolled her eyes, and almost idly flicked her fingers again.

* * *

 

Most people had never seen Nanoha Takamachi fight seriously.

Not intensely, _seriously._ She fought with intensity all the time. Nanoha was strong and she liked to win, so fighting with effort was nothing to her. But fighting with serious intent to destroy, holding nothing back? That was basically unheard of. Really, the only thing that had ever seen it from the receiving end was the berserk defense program of the Book of Darkness, which should have said something about the situation that would actually push her to draw on that level of force.

First, the enemy must not be even remotely approachable. They must be something that not only refuses to see reason but is not even _capable_ of seeing reason, something monstrous and inhuman that will only destroy and destroy and destroy until it is stopped.

Second, there must be innocent lives in danger. Her own did not count; these had to be other innocent lives. A whole world… her friends… even some silly little alien penguins that she'd spent a few minutes playing with, just for fun. She must have something to _protect._

Should these circumstances be met, it is possible to see Nanoha Takamachi fight with true seriousness. It is, despite the brilliantly magnificent light-show that tended to result, not a pretty sight. She doesn't get any more powerful, or faster, or more intelligent somehow, no.

She just gets less friendly.

The six pink bullets snapped through the air, splitting to encircle the two cyborgs. All she really wanted was to keep them together so she could just wipe them both out with one shot. She accomplished this by sending the bullets shooting inwards and punching several fist-sized holes through their armor. Defensive efforts were made, but Raising Heart was in Excellion form, and another cartridge was easy enough to load. The defenses shattered, and the bullets began swarming around and between the two cyborgs like berserk hornets.

And, occasionally, swarming _through_ them. They didn't feel pain, or fear, so there was only one way to really herd them in a specific direction, and that was to _hit_ them in that direction. _Good, good, that's right. Keep up the power, keep up the pressure, don't allow them even a moment to counterattack, push them onto the defensive until..._

There. That should be close enough.

"Restrain!" Nanoha commanded, Raising Heart loading two cartridges as she did so. "Barrel Shot!"

The wave of energy, invisible save for the air and dust it disturbed, slammed into the two cyborgs. Both began to vibrate in place as they struggled futilely against the motion restriction spell, caught in place like flies in amber. Eventually, they most likely would have been able to break free, but for the moment they were still, and very, very close together...

Raising Heart was leveled in their direction, and three more cartridges slammed home. "I'm sorry. I really am." Nanoha said. If Chrono was right, she was doing them a favor, but... they'd been people, once. Even if the only thing she could do was apologize, she should do that much.

"Excelion..."

" **... Buster."**

Nanoha took a deep breath as she watched the cloud of smoke. Nothing emerged, not even debris... just to be safe, she sent the remaining spell bullets under her control ripping through the cloud. No impact of any sort; they were gone. Presumably destroyed, or at least damaged enough to merit extraction, then. She released the tension in her body, and let out a deep sigh of mixed weariness and relief.

That... had probably not been smart. All told, the price for ending this battle quickly had been nearly as much energy as she'd used in the final assault spells she'd launched at the berserk Book of Darkness defense program. Her hands were aching, her head was pounding, and she was down to her last five cartridges. True, she was now free to move on to the main battle site, but she might not be much actual help once she got there.

 _Speaking of... Hello,_ Asura _?_ Nanoha thought. _This is Nanoha. I'm ready to move on._

A little fatigue was no reason to quit, after all.

" _Zafira!_ " Yuuno shouted in horror as the Black Cat struck home.

It became instantly apparent that something was wrong, though not quite so instantly apparent for whom.

The cyborg's blade sunk into flesh, but not the flesh it had been aiming for. For instance, it had been aiming for the throat of a wolf, and somehow its blade was embedded in the stomach of a human.

Zafira smiled, blood running from his mouth. He didn't smile often; even in human form, his teeth looked far, far too much like fangs for the comfort of most people. Arf was chipper enough to not really care about this, but Zafira was a little more considerate... unless he was _trying_ to be intimidating. "I have you now." He said, with just a hint of triumph in his tone. He then clasped his hands onto the bladed limb embedded in his abdomen, and ripped it off.

The Black Cat responded to this by drawing its remaining arm back to make another attack. Zafira could admit he was in a bad place; a gaping gut wound plugged only by the fact that the blade was still in it, and the enemy seemingly undisturbed by the loss of one of its arms. It occurred to him that perhaps he'd only managed to delay the inevitable... only for green chains of light to snare the limb as it was pulled back, a reminder that he was still fighting with a partner even if he didn't have a ferret on his head anymore.

Yuuno held his hand out. "You don't get away this time!" He promised.

That strange, sourceless electronic voice spoke once again, **Defensive Skill: Magic Can-**

It was at this point that the creature stopped talking. Not because it had decided to cancel the technique, but because the technique had been quite forcibly shut down by Zafira pulling the cyborg's own severed arm from his stomach and driving it through the center of the creature's chest, blade first.

Still, it wasn't a complete waste. A combination of the preemptively-ended antimagic wave and Yuuno's own need to get to his ally and make sure the Guardian Beast wasn't about to drop dead in the air allowed the remaining cyborg to break free. It fell back briefly, apparently to determine the best method to continue the battle now that it was on its own.

"Are you all right?" Yuuno asked. "No, that's stupid, you have a big hole in you. Hold still, I'll set up a healing barrier, that should help a-"

"Go..." Zafira rumbled, using one hand to hold his wound closed. "Go after the girl. I'll hold here."

"What? No! I can't just leave you alone here to..."

"I'll be fine. This thing is just a distraction. Leave me be and go stop the real threat, I will hold it here." The Guardian Beast said. "Don't worry. I'm not so weak that a threat of this level will be enough to bring me down..."

"That's insane! You should withdraw completely, I can handle him and..."

"And he _isn't the real threat._ " Zafira said firmly, his tone allowing no argument. "We need as many resources as we can muster to go to that city and intercept the girl with the Logia, correct? I'd be little use, but you can still at least delay her."

"I... I..."

Zafira narrowed his eyes. "Go, before I get angry."

"... Fine. But you'd better not die." Yuuno said softly, flying away from the battlefield and onto the next.

Zafira's expression turned grim as he turned to the one remaining cyborg, his entire body taking on a white glow that only made the blood stand out more. "Well? Come on, then."

* * *

 

The scene, overall, looked a little bit like Hell must have.

It had started with Signum realizing that she would need a new strategy. She had confirmed that, if she drew on her fullest power and went all out, she could outmatch Amaterasu in pure strength. However, the other woman was still faster and, though she hated to admit it, most likely a more skilled (or at least more ruthless) close-combatant. Attempting to simply overpower her constantly would simply make her go on the evasive until Signum ran low on power. And so the Wolkenritter general had decided to think outside the box (the 'box', in this instance, being sanity) and utilize a strategy that Nanoha Takamachi had used to some effect against this same opponent. The girl had managed to bypass her enemy's superior experience by throwing the battlefield into utter chaos, creating a situation that rendered analysis useless. Such a scenario would hamper Amaterasu's combat instincts to the point of rendering them almost useless, bringing the two women back onto equal ground.

So she had shifted Laevatein into Serpent Form, extended the blade to its fullest, and swung her arm in a single wide circled, bringing half the forest down on top of them.

It had more-or-less worked; the trees falling at random, collapsing into each other, propping one another up and falling out of these fragile balances unpredictably, it had been a highly chaotic battlefield. Amaterasu was indeed too distracted by the rapidly shifting landscape to fight with the same level of concentration she'd been showing until now.

Then Amaterasu had laughed. "Oh, you _are_ something else, aren't you? Not as rigid as I thought, willing to walk on the wild side! Then let's crank this up another notch, kitten!"

And then she'd set the whole damn mess on fire.

The already teetering, chaotic mess of dead trees was now crumbling in entirely different, much hotter ways. At any given moment, an ancient tree might finally give out and send vast chunks of burning wood crashing to the forest floor. The sky was flooded with embers, and thick smoke obscured the battlefield. It was, basically, madness.

And in the center of the madness, the two ancient warriors were truly in their element.

Signum and Amaterasu sprinted along the trunk of one of the half-fallen trees, the flames licking at their coats. Sparks rose from the clashes of their weapons as they ran, once, twice, three times before the tree gave out underneath them, forcing them to leap to safety in opposite directions. Amaterasu connected with another tree and leapt off it to reverse her course, even as Signum skidded to a halt amid the soot and burning debris the was rapidly covering the forest floor. The two women, their weapons burning even more brightly than the forest around them, crashed together in a monstrous explosion that only worsened the spreading blaze.

Barely even acknowledging the force with which they were thrown apart, they rushed back into melee range. Amaterasu stepped slightly back, just out of easy melee range, whipping her spear around her in long, graceful curves that appeared slow, but moved with deceptive speed to slash at any seeming vulnerability. But if Amaterasu was all curves, than Signum was brutally efficient lines, moving _exactly_ as fast as she appeared to be, sealing off those vulnerabilities the instant Kagutsuchi struck at them and pushing the spear back, only to have it be spun around and brought in another arc at another target. Neither woman could land a strike, and neither would retreat. In the end, the duel was only halted by the environment once more, as a burning trunk slammed into the ground between them and forced them apart once more.

Signum, without a moment's hesitation, drew her arm back, Laevatein loading a trio of cartridges and bursting into flame. The burning blade segmented, whirling around her like an angry snake. "Hiryu Issen!" She snapped, sending blade and flame alike crashing into the obstacle in front of her. The already unstable tree shattered as the attack plowed through it, to reveal... nothing.

"Your aim's a bit off, kitten!" Amaterasu said jovially, shouting to be heard over the inferno. Signum could not see her, but it was fairly obvious _that_ problem was not mutual. Ah, so she was being watched from hiding, which meant death was around the corner again...

Signum grinned, stopping only when she realized she was wearing a smile and angrily forced it from her lips. The problem, she realized, was that something disturbing was happening.

She was finding she didn't actually hate Amaterasu.

The woman had the personality of an animal in heat; a poisonous animal, no less. She was, if not outright insane, than at least dangerously close. She was, frankly, a monster. A different sort of monster than Signum had once been and that Amaterasu was so cheerful to see she no longer was, perhaps, but a monster nontheless. Signum had little doubt that the woman would indeed derive a sort of sick pleasure from killing her. And yet, Signum was still honestly having a good time.

Part of it was that the issues Amaterasu had forced her to confront were things she should have addressed before now. The nature of her changing personality, the cost of her devotion to Hayate, the loss of her former ruthless edge... the fact that bringing these up had 'gotten to her', however briefly, meant that she should have dealt with them long ago and that she owed her opponent for forcing her to confront them. But more than that...

The woman was an _equal_. Perhaps even a _superior_ , possibly the first genuinely better fighter that Signum had dueled in centuries. If Fate had been a worthy enough opponent for their battles to inspire joy, than how much more was derived from this? From the sensation that she might well be outmatched and the slightest error in her form could end in death? Had there been no consequences other than her own safety riding on the outcome of this battle, Signum felt she would have been laughing openly, joyfully exchanging blade techniques with her opponent and walking the knife's edge between life and death with no fear in her heart. As it was, she was finding it harder and harder to keep a smile from her lips. She was doing so, however. God knew the _last_ thing she needed was to give any hint of approval to the incessantly flirtatious twit.

Keeping her guard up, moving through the ash and smoke to try to lose her pursuer, Signum waited with bated breath for the moment the attack would come. She knew it would happen... the other woman was most likely watching her through the flames this very moment... every single one of her senses was working on overdrive to determine where, exactly, the assault would come from.

And as a result of this hyperawareness, Signum became painfully aware after nearly two full minutes that nothing was happening.

_Where is she? Is she toying with my mind again? Trying to make me slip up out of nerves, or..._

_Or..._

_Damn._

No attack was coming, because Amaterasu was gone. The lunatic had run away, and she was going for the Gate while Signum tromped through a forest fire!

Taking to the skies and bursting through the smoke in a rage, Signum took off at full speed behind the now-visible but rapidly shrinking red dot in the skies. _That little... argh! After all of that... that constant **talk** about how obsessed she is and all those ludicrous mind-games, she just **leaves** before settling our match without even a word? How could I have been thinking anything even remotely positive about her? She is the most unlikable, twisted, **obnoxious** woman I have ever met, and when I catch her I am going to beat her into a bloody pulp! _

She knew how much these thoughts made her sound like Vita, but at the moment it was hard to care.

Much further ahead, and her lead growing by the second, Amaterasu smiled wickedly. _Aaaaah... how sweet! She's coming after me, even though she knows I'm too fast, and there's no way she'll manage to intercept me before we reach the city! She must be **furious.** I hope she doesn't calm down before she catches up... it will be totally worth bowing out of our dance early if I get to see her eyes sparkling with fury. So cute when she's angry..._

Whoever said you couldn't mix work and play had obviously never met Ammy.

* * *

 

"Fate, I know that you're not going to listen to me." Hayate said.

"Or me." Shamal added.

"But we really don't think you should be doing this."

"I'm listening to you," Fate said. The fact that she was standing the teleport center with Bardiche activated and her Barrier Jacket fully equipped made it clear that she was _not_ listening, of course, but she was a polite girl. "But I'm still going."

"Fate, you're really not at your best." Shamal said. "You _do_ need rest and time to heal, even if you don't feel like you do."

"I know, really." Fate said. "But the fact is, the people I love are in danger, and I can help. If that means a little risk... that's nothing new to me."

"We could stop you from going. Cutting off the transport would be easy enough, you know." Hayate said, simply.

"If pressed, I _can_ teleport myself there." Fate said. "I'd prefer not to waste the energy, but I will if you make me."

"All right... if you absolutely can't be convinced, then I'm going with you." Hayate said.

Fate's eyes widened. "But you're...!"

"Not too much worse off than you are, at the moment. We can watch each other's back."

"No." Shamal said softly. "I accept that nothing I can do will stop Miss Fate from leaving. I imagine that even if I made it an official medical order, she would ignore me and accept the consequences later. But you, Hayate, will _not_ be going with her."

"Shamal," Hayate said, not unkindly, but in a tone that brooked no argument. "I will _not_ be left behind while all of my friends and family are putting themselves in danger..."

"It isn't that, Hayate. I'm really not trying to protect you... well, not _only_ trying, anyway." Shamal said apologetically.

"Then what _are_ you trying to do, Shamal? Because if you can't give me a convincing reason why I need to stay behind while everyone else is in danger, then I'm leaving right now." Hayate said firmly.

"Hayate... they still need Rein on the ship, so she has to stay here. And you can't walk without her."

"... ... ... ... ..." Hayate said.

"Sorry." Shamal said.

"... ... ... ... ..." Hayate said.

"Well, then. I'll just... be going." Fate said into the awkward silence, stepping onto the transit pad and disappearing in flecks of white light.

"Shamal?" Hayate said.

"Yes, Mistress?"

"This sucks."

"Yes, Mistress."

* * *

 

"Whoo-hoo!" Arf said, grasping the cyborg's ankle and swinging it around like she was doing the hammer toss.

It was possible she was having a bit too much fun. But hey: a hyper-charged adrenaline rush will do that to a girl.

Once she felt she'd built up enough force, she hurled the black figure with all her might, directly into the ground. The other one hadn't been moving since the last big blast she'd slammed it with, so with any luck this would be the end: it would hit the ground hard enough to render something internal too smashed-up to work, and that's that.

... _nah, that would have been too easy._ Arf thought in some combination of amusement and annoyance, watching as her buddy began attempting to dig itself out of the soft jungle soil she'd buried it in. _Should have known better. Need to basically rip them to pieces, don't ya?_

She smirked, and gathered golden light into her palm. _Well, that's workable._ Clutching the ball of lightning in her fist, she went into a dive, her fist held back to deliver one Hell of a jab.

The Black Cat managed to right itself and get out of the soft soil that had been holding it... too late. _Much_ too late. A massive cloud of dust and leaves was kicked up as Arf hit home like a comet, striking the disoriented cyborg with far, far more force that it had hit the ground with.

A couple of things went wrong then.

It wasn't that she didn't destroy the Black Cat, no! Ha ha, that guy was _totally_ screwed. In fact, she hit it with so much force that its upper body basically _exploded_ in a shower of metal and plastic shards which vanished shortly afterward as the debris was reclaimed. It's just that she might have possibly hit with a little _too_ much force. And, well, it was basically a rainforest, now that she wasn't in the part that was on fire anymore. The soil was wet, and soft, and she was crashing into it really, really fast. It took nearly five minutes to dig herself out. Getting the mud out of her fur would the work of hours. But still, she managed to get out with minimal difficulty.

Which was when the second thing went wrong, as a grenade detonated roughly a foot and a half away from her, and Arf learned a very valuable lesson about combat: just because you hit something with a 'big blast' and hadn't seen it since then, didn't mean it was dead.

The blast flung her like a rag doll; her auto-defenses were up and enough to keep from being, well, dead, but she was still not in the best shape. Slamming head first into a tree with bruising force didn't help the situation much. Further, her sensitive ears were ringing madly from the sound of the blast so close, combining with the other problems hitting her to leave her disoriented... and as a result vulnerable.

She never did find out why the creature didn't finish her off from a distance after catching her so cleanly. Perhaps that had been the last of its ordinance, or perhaps she'd managed to damage it enough that it wasn't certain of its targeting systems with any weapon that didn't have a giant blast radius. Perhaps it simply had a surprisingly sadistic sense of humor for a mindless machine. Whatever the reason, when the time came for the _coup de grace_ , it extended one of those vicious blades and lunged.

 _Oh... this isn't good..._ Arf thought, seeing as the blade came in. Everything seemed to be moving so slowly, yet for some reason she couldn't get out of the way. It was like everything, even her perception of time, was suspended in some sticky fluid. _I guess maybe I got a little overconfident_. _I suppose by myself, this was too much to ask..._

The red blade came forward, excruciatingly slowly, but unavoidable. It was fortunate, then, that she didn't have to avoid it.

Arf suddenly felt the extra strength that she'd been running on the entire battle suddenly flood out of her limbs in a rush, leaving her feeling drained and dazed... but what actually caught her notice even more than that was that one thing among the entire world appeared suddenly to be moving at a perfectly normal speed among all the slow-motion.

A glowing golden blade tore through the air... and through Arf's assailant. The creature fell back, leaving an arm behind to fall to the jungle floor. The girl with the golden scythe was too quick for it, though; by the time it had managed to retreat to the distance it sought, she was already _behind_ it, having looped past it at impossible speed. If it had backup, or if it had been in perfect working condition, maybe it would have been able to pose some sort of threat to her. But it was alone, and it was damaged.

And then it was in two pieces.

Fate smiled at her Familiar. "..." She said.

"Huh? Fate, I can't hear you." Arf said.

Fate winced. _Arf you're shouting. Are your ears all right?_

_I... kinda got caught off guard there. I've got some ringing, I won't deny._

_Are you all right? I'm sorry it took me so long to get here, but there was a fire where I landed and it took me awhile to track you down..._

_Ah. Yeah, there was that. Napalm or something. But really, it wasn't too bad. I'm... here, try talking to me out loud._

"C-n y- h-r m-?" Fate asked.

"Alm..." Arf began shouting, before switching back to telepathy, _Almost. Maybe with a few more minutes. But beyond the ears, I feel pretty good now that I've cleared my head. I can keep going. Can **you?** I thought you were on medical leave._

 _Well, I certainly hope I can, because we're moving on to Rienne as soon as the_ Asura _can send us, and I'm going with you whether you like it or not._ Fate thought.

Arf smiled at that. _Don't worry. I've been by your side long enough to know I can't argue through that thick head of yours, Master._

 _... ... I'm choosing to take that as a compliment._ Fate thought.

* * *

 

Chrono fell back.

It wasn't a trap, this time. Or rather, it _should_ have been a trap, but Tsukuyomi had, unlike either her brother or the Black Cats, seen it coming. The delayed bind he had placed in his former location shattered, and left him with nothing to lure her into as he barely dodged yet another attack spell that he had no hope of repelling.

The battle was going, overall, poorly. Chrono's fighting style revolved around skill, rather than power. He fought with traps, deception, luring the opponent into conditions favorable to himself and unfavorable to them. But with this girl, he just couldn't. Her elemental affinity was the perfect counter to his own, but more than that, he just couldn't wrap his mind around the way she thought. Attempts to predict her actions or deceive her almost invariably showed that not only had she seen through it, she had prepared a countermove that _he_ then had to see through, and some of them were just insane.

Right now, for instance.

His initial plan had been to take a hit... _one_ hit, a minor one. He would play this up, pretending to be wounded more severely than he actually was, and fall back. In the space he had vacated, he left a delayed binding spell. But far from trusting this to be the end, he prepared a _second_ trap, knowing that she would anticipate the first: another spell was waiting around the first, a much less intense version of the cold explosion he'd used to defeat the two cyborgs. Should she see the bind coming and try to loop around it, she would be walking right into some nasty frostbite.

So what she had done, rather than the logical course of pursuing a fleeing and wounded opponent, was instead loop up and round the battlefield while simultaneously directly a missile of liquid through the traps he'd laid. The binding sparked uselessly around an unbindable target, and the other spell... well, freezing water didn't work so well here, as she'd proven once already.

And then, to make matters even worse, when the interaction of light and water died down enough to allow him unrestricted vision, there were two of the girl coming after him.

Not too horrible, though; he'd known she was an illusionist. The obvious solution was that one of the girls was real, and one was fake. But then, the obvious solution was almost certainly a trap, wasn't it? Most likely, both of the girls he saw were illusions, and the real one was behind a veil of some sort. But invisibility magic was never perfect, and she would leave some sort of...

 _There._ A shimmering in the air, just barely perceptible. That was her, and that was where the real attack was coming from. Chrono raised his staff and said, "Durandal, lock on targets! We'll take out both of them in one go!"

 **"Stinger Snipe**." Durandal obliged, charging a bolt of azure light that could be directed at will. The beam flashed out after one of the two blue-haired girls, blasting right through her and causing her to vanish in a burst of silver light. Smiling at this expected development, Chrono redirected the beam toward the second girl... only to suddenly reverse the course and send it rushing towards the veil in the air he'd spotted.

It was perfect. She would assume that he had been targeting her second illusion until the last second, and most likely had been in the middle of preparing her own attack in the meantime. She'd be caught totally off-guard, and most likely knocked out or at least seriously damaged by the direct hit to come.

He continued thinking that right up until his spell rushed harmlessly through the veil, dispelling it to reveal nothing inside but empty air.

Chrono had only a few seconds before the silver-white chains snared him, pinning his arms to his sides, to realize that he'd made a very serious error. _A counter bind... The shimmering in the air **was** an illusion, it just wasn't hiding anything_. _And while I was so 'cleverly' seeing through her 'trick'... she nailed me._

The other girl, the one he would have sworn was a second illusion, floated before him; a ball of silver light glowing in the tip of her staff. "Very good. Your skill at magical control and your tactical abilities are both excellent. However... it is possible to overthink things, don't you agree? Making the air shimmer is much easier than creating two perfect independent illusions of myself. Sometimes the simpler explanation is correct."

She raised her weapon, and released the ball of silver light gathered in her staff as a coherent beam aimed directly at the defenseless mage's heart.

* * *

 

Lindy just barely dodged the bolt of crackling death and struck back, S2U releasing a blast of coherent blue-green light at her command.

It was less than useless. Precia's automatic defenses repelled it without even the slightest effort, the bolt bouncing off a dissolving into flecks of light befeore Lindy's eyes. Not that Lindy had really been expecting it to work, but it would have been nice to be surprised in this case.

Precia let out a small, sharp, laugh, and swung her staff, sending a wide-angle wave of light after her target rather than a beam. With no way to dodge, Lindy was forced to try defending this time, and her shields... almost... held. For perhaps the fifth or sixth time, Lindy tumbled through the sky her nerves on fire as sickly lightning coursed through her body.

It was obvious to anyone who saw the situation that Precia was dominating the encounter. Lindy could not even harm her, and was equally helpless to repel her attacks. Precia honestly seemed to be mostly toying with the other woman, deliberately letting off attacks just slow enough to be dodged, just weak enough to be survivable. Playing with Lindy like a particularly sadistic cat with a a particularly durable mouse.

Precia shook her head in bemusement. "Really, now? Are you actually surprised? You attack me, alone, with offensive abilities that are… mediocre at best. What exactly were you expecting to happen, here?"

Lindy wiped blood and sweat from her brow as she considered this. "Well… something along the lines of…"

**Lindy-vision!:**

_Lindy arrived on the battlefield, looking frankly stunning considering she's actually given birth to a child. No, really, she was a total babe. How does she keep that figure? Looking around, she said, "Time to find Precia!"_

_And she found Precia, who wasn't nearly so pretty as Lindy. Lindy and Precia stared into each other's eyes. They were both Fate's mom, but only one of them was good, which made the coming battle symbolic. Maybe it was symbolic of motherhood, and how a real mother is the one who cares for the child, not the one who gives birth to her (or in this case, grows her in a cloning vat). Yeah, that sounded good._

_"I'm here to beat you," Lindy said._

_"You won't." Precia said._

_And then there was a fight and Lindy won._

_"Ha ha!" Lindy said._

_"Darn!" Precia said._

_And then Precia was arrested, and had to go to jail and wear a prison jumpsuit, which made her look even **less** attractive. So Lindy was the winner and also prettier by a lot. And she and Fate were mother and daughter forever and ate ice cream._

**Back to Reality!:**

"Something like that?" Lindy said. "I was really hoping for that, to tell you the truth."

Precia blinked a few times and raised her hand. "I'm going to murder you now." She said.

Lindy smiled once again, this time in victory. "I'm sure you'll try." She said.

" **Steel Bind."** The storage device said. A silvery-white binding chain snapped itself around Precia's staff and the arm that held it, binding the mage into place.

Precia blinked. It was a simple spell, shattering at the slightest effort of will. "What was the point of…?"

"Restrain, the judgment of those on high. Look down upon my foe and stave off her assaults." Lindy said.

" **Chain of Heaven."**

A much brighter chain burst into existence, wrapping around the woman's entire body and pinning her arms. And Lindy's chant continued without pause: "Hold back the darkness. Repel any who would seek to do me harm, seal them off from the world in an endless void..."

" **Prison of Silence."**

A sphere of translucent blue light joined the chains, further burying Precia in layer upon layer of binding spells. _Damn... even for me this will take some time to break_... Precia thought in annoyance as the magical prison grew steadily more complex. Clearly, she had underestimated this woman; her skills might not have lent themselves to combat, but she clearly knew sealing and binding very, very well. Still, it would only be a matter of a few minutes to escape this net and...

"Now, confine. Draw my enemy beyond time and space and lock them forever outside the flow of reality; trapped for eternity in an unchanging prison of glass." Lindy said, continuing the steadily growing bind without pause.

" **Crystal Seal."** The staff said, trapping Precia inside a faceted crystalline shell that appeared on the outer layer of the other binds that already held her. It had reached the point where the woman could no longer even be clearly seen with the naked eye.

Lindy smiled at her handiwork and levelled S2U. "That ought to hold you for a bit, I'd think. Now, how did this go? Gather, the light of justice that shines 'cross the heavens. I am the bringer of judgment upon this evil, and her guilt is clear and deserving of punishment. Scatter the darkness and let the criminal before me be bathed in the light of law, forevermore."

" **Eternity Breaker."**

The blast of pure white light screamed through the skies and smashed into the bound Precia, briefly obscuring her with the intensity of the beam.

The beam exploded violently, leaving behind a shockwave that ripped through the air and a cloud of smoke that left even the results of the blast impossible to see. But it was a breezy day, particularly at the altitudes that the battle was taking place at. The smoke cleared quickly, however, revealing that Precia…

Wasn't even scratched.

"Ouch. I believe you tousled my hair." The archmage said, a smug smile firmly on her lips and violet lightning dancing between her staff and her free hand.

"Not good..." Lindy muttered.

"Look on the bright side. I'll admit that was a fairly impressive bit of binding right there, even if the follow-through couldn't back it up. I've decided that you're worth taking seriously." The black and violet electricity grew rapidly in intensity, wrapping around Precia's body like a second skin. "You should be proud. Your death will be the sort of magical display people write books about."

The blast made anything else Precia had thrown the entire battle seem tiny and pointless. Dodging was impossible, and deflection was something _beyond_ impossible.

Lindy stood unmoving, as certain death approached.

* * *

 

There were many kinds of battle to enjoy.

Fate was fun to fight because she was such a child. Susanoo felt almost like a proud parent, watching her grow and develop her potential before his eyes. And she was so unwilling to kill that he could easily match her effort and fight at the pace she set, so the battles tended to be more like an amusing little exhibition of spells and techniques than a real fight.

Signum had been fun too, for the opposite reason. She was a better than him, at least as he was now, and he'd been forced to fight with a brutality he usually preferred not to use just to keep up. Being pushed to his limits and beyond... that was amusing in a different way than 'mentoring' Fatie, but it was interesting all the same. She'd have been a worthy kill, no shame in ending that battle with blood. To do less would have been dishonorable.

But Vita might have been the best yet.

They were so perfectly matched it was almost creepy. He had more access to bombardment and assault magic, but it hardly mattered because she was faster than he was and would _not_ allow him to leave melee range. And so the fight, as it had for most of it's duration, boiled down to 'hit each other really, really hard'. And it was _fun._ He didn't have to think, he didn't need any fancy plans or strategies, he didn't need to keep his eyes constantly moving because she could move faster than they could follow and might come at him from any angle. Not that all of those things weren't fun too; just that there was a great deal of joy to be found in a pure, simple test of strength, and Vita offered that quite well. Once again, he was having so, _so_ much fun. He didn't miss his full power; worthy opponents were so much easier to find with the handicap!

Vita drew back, her hammer eating another pair of cartridges and shifting it's shape to one he hadn't seen before. Screaming **"Gigantform!** ", Graf Eisen change into a weapon almost as large as it's wielder (not that this was too hard, but still).

Susanoo gathered power into his axe, preparing to utilize one of his favorite tactics, detonating a distance attack at point-blank when he impacted with the newly gigantic hammer. That should be a good gauge of its power; if she repelled him easily, he might have to shift to his own final drive. He hoped not; it would be hard not to kill her if he used it, and he had decided by this point that he didn't feel like doing that, even if Ammy wanted him to. He didn't really _need_ to anyway, there weren't any more Gates to worry about, so if he left her alive for future rematches, who would even care?

The two warriors spent another few, painful seconds gather their power and sizing up the opposition, before charging in with wild abandon. Vita's face was set in a scowl, Susanoo's in a childish grin. They closed the distance between them in a fraction of a second, drawing back their weapons for the (most recent) titanic clash to come.

And then reality brutally intruded.

Susanoo watched in confusion, uncertain as to what had just happened. One moment, Vita had been charging him just like always, and he was rushing to meet her. The next, the air behind her was burning, and she was falling, and he was already swinging his weapon...

Her guard totally broken, Vita took the full force of the attack spell with only her armor to defend her. Briefly suspended by the energy tearing into her, she fell like a puppet with her strings cut, limp and lifeless.

He dove, catching the girl in his free arm, and moving to find someplace to set her down gently. As he did so, he saw the cause of why her charge had broken prematurely: the back of her armor had a hole burned cleanly through it, and the flesh beneath it didn't look much better. And there, floating in the sky, her weapon pointed in their general direction...

Amaterasu smiled at her handiwork, the tip of her spear still casting off red sparks. "You know, before we started facing these people, I'd never shot a small girl like this in the back. Now... twice in as many weeks. Times have changed, eh?"

Without a word, Susanoo descended, picking a building that looked pretty sturdy and setting Vita down on top of it. "You'll be okay, I think... your armor seems to have absorbed a decent chunk of the damage, and at least you're tougher than most. Try not to die, okay? I'll do my best to make sure this roof doesn't come under fire. If you can hear me at all, then signal your people for a withdrawal as soon as you're able to move."

And then he took off like a bullet, screaming to a halt in front of his elder sister. _" **What do you think you're doing?**_ " he snarled.

"Winning, Susa."

"Dammit, Ammy, she was _mine!_ How dare you inter-"

"Do not finish that sentence, pup." Amaterasu said coldly. "I'm doing what needs to be _done._ Tsuku's on her way right now, and we're moving on the last Gate as a unit. This is neither the time nor the place for you to goof off. Victory is all that matters."

"No. No, I'm not going to back down just because you're trying to be scary." Susanoo said, his tone calm, precise, and positively glacial. "This isn't a war. No formal hostilities have been declared. In a field like that, with an enemy fighting to the death, that's where your behavior belongs. This was a fair duel between knights, and you've sullied that. I'll ignore it for now, because we have a mission to complete. But I will _not_ be letting this one slide, Amaterasu. When we get home... there are some things I need to say to you."

Amaterasu drew back her head as if bitten. _Oh, my. I haven't seen this mood in awhile._ With the frantic energy that he normally exuded, seeing Susa so calm and focused was... well, she wasn't the only one of her siblings who could be a little scary. When the smiles and goofiness stopped, that was when you really had to start watching Susa closely. When he seemed calm on the outside, that was actually a sign that he was _really_ angry, and Susa really angry could be... difficult. _I'm lucky we **do** have a mission. Without our Master's orders to worry about, he might have actually attacked me._

She suppressed a shudder, and not entirely of fear. Seeing her brother with those icy eyes, so calm on the surface but a raging storm inside, barely able to restrain himself...

**_So_ ** _cute._

"I'll look forward to it." Amaterasu said truthfully. "But for now, _s_ tay by my side and don't complain. We have incoming company, I know that, but Tsuku should be here soon, if nothing goes wrong... _and **gods,**_ why did I just say that? 'If nothing goes wrong'. You'd think I'd have learned not to tempt fate by now..." Amaterasu sighed. "Let's go find Tsuku before something goes wrong."

* * *

 

Tsukuyomi's bolt was literally feet away from the target when something went wrong.

The bolt of pink light burned across her path, striking her own spell and blasting it aside before it struck. Instantly she spun to assume a defensive posture, knowing full well what she would see when she turned...

"Sorry about that." Nanoha said. "I didn't want to interrupt your fight, but I couldn't let you hurt my friend."

Tsukuyomi turned to the city to her back. The boy would not be breaking free without for at least a few minutes; all she had to do was briefly distract the girl and she should be able to get enough distance in order to get within striking distance of her final objective. But... if she wasn't able to get far enough away and Nanoha followed her too closely into the city, she could intercept the Driver before it reached the destination.

_And any battle between the two of us would cause considerable collateral damage. If we get caught up in a residential district..._

"Vacate the area. This is not a conflict you should be pursuing at this time." Tsukuyomi said.

"You tried to hurt my friend." Nanoha said softly.

"I told you: I have a mission to accomplish. Perhaps now you'll believe what I am willing to do in order to..."

"But that blast? I felt it's power when I deflected it. It wouldn't have killed him." Nanoha continued. "You could have used a lethal attack. Why didn't you?"

"I..." _I don't know. By all rights I should have; he is an enemy combatant and his death would have removed any possibility of him returning to the front before the end of the encounter. So why didn't I stop to make sure he was...?_ "... there was no reason to. This is the final Gate we can target. Whether we get it or not, there won't be another one of these conflicts. Eliminating your unit is no longer a priority."

There. It was not exactly the truth, but it served as a plausible reason.

Nanoha smiled softly for the first time since her arrival. "You're still a bad liar." She said.

"Wh-what do you...?"

"You didn't kill my friend," Nanoha said. "Because you didn't want to. Because even though you were supposed to... you saw that you could get what you wanted without it, and you chose that option. The same reason you're trying to make sure that we don't start a battle in that city, isn't that right?"

The girl's smile widened. "I was right about you. You might have some rough edges, but you really are a good person deep down. You prove it a little more every time we meet."

"You... you..." Tsukuyomi said softly. "What is _wrong_ with you? I just... I just can't understand how you think."

Nanoha smiled even more brilliantly. "That makes two of us, then, because I know there's a lot about you that I don't understand. But I think if we keep trying... maybe that will change. And so I'm going to keep going, even if you don't want me to."

Tsukuyomi blinked. "Then... if you're going to ignore my wishes... I'll ignore yours too." She said, raising her staff to signal the end of discussion.

"Well... that's one way to deepen our understanding." Nanoha said. "Chrono! Stay back, all right? This is between me and her."

Chrono looked down at the glowing chains he was still tightly wrapped in. "That won't be as much of a problem as you seem to think." He admitted.

* * *

 

Lindy smiled with a certain amount of evil at the incoming wave of guaranteed death, and raised her hand. A small blue image, almost like a playing card made of light, appeared in front of her palm. The wave of violet lightning slammed into it... and was somehow drawn in, vanishing utterly into the tiny projection. "Ah. Took awhile, but I believe I have you down, now. You're a tricky woman, you know."

Precia's eyes widened. "How... what did you... there is no possible way you could have deflected that much energy!"

"I didn't deflect it. It's just that it was the first spell I could completely steal. I got pieces of all of them, though... would you like to see?" Lindy asked.

She snapped her fingers, and the world went mad.

Spreading from the small 'light card' floating in front of Lindy, a dozen or more identical magical constructs shimmered into existence and spread to encircle Precia. As soon as their movement ceased, they began to practically _scream_ with magic; dark, twisting energy that leapt between the 'cards' in rapidly increasing intensity. The skies around Precia were a twisting, warped mass of blues, violets and black, lightning crackling through everything. And among the twisted space, strung between the cards like connect-the-dots, she could see… just barely…

Runes? A spell field?

She couldn't have possibly been planting sealing spells across the area for the entire battle. And yet, there they were, and what they were sealing was...

 _Her_ magic! Trapped among the sigils and flowing between the cards in an insanely complex and powerful field of magical seals, was an absolutely monstrous amount of Precia's own magical energy.

And to make matters far, far worse, it was visibly growing more and more unstable.

 _I need to kill her, right now!_ Precia thought in a panic, raising her staff and calling down a lightning bolt from the sky above. A powerful, fast spell that would easily have ended the woman's life... had it not sharply diverted its course, disappearing into the growing cloud of wild magic surrounding the archmage.

"Told you I had you figured out." Lindy said, dusting herself off and brushing some blood from her lips. "Now, since we have a little free time, let's talk. You seem to have underestimated me, Ms. Testarossa. Don't feel too bad; a lot of people do that. Apparently I give off the impression that I was granted an Admiralty for my sparkling personality rather than any sort of skill. Really, you'd think they'd look at Chrono and realize the flaws in that logic… he got his looks entirely from his father, but he must have inherited _something_ from me, right?"

"The binds… and the shields, and the attacks…" Precia said, eyes widening in horror. "Every single one of them had a secondary spell built into them, just so you could build this without me noticing... how could you possibly…?"

"Oh, you really are a genius. Yes, that's exactly it." Lindy said warmly. "As for how it was possible... did you know my children think I have some huge, overreaching plan for this whole engagement? I keep telling them I don't, but they don't seem to believe me." Lindy continued almost conversationally. "I decided, just this once, to leave the big picture up to Admiral Mizetto _._ As for me, I spent a solid week doing nothing but thinking of a way to deal with _you._

 _"_ It was a conundrum, I admit. You've seen for yourself that I don't have much in the way of offense; I did my time as a field agent, but I was never the front-line attacker my children are. So I was forced to consider... how exactly does a mage like me, whose offensive potential is frankly barely notable in comparison to your ludicrous powers, stop you? Here's the answer I came up with. You see, you've made it apparent that you don't really remember me, but when we sealed your Garden of Time, I'm the one who melded with it and shut down its central power source."

Precia's stomach fell. _Of course. Of course. Of course. That voice...! Fate, the girl in white, everyone else present on the Garden was with me when the central core deactivated! There had to have been someone else, and... I heard that voice more than once...!_ The Garden's Core had been a Lost Logia not unlike a Jewel Seed, but one that she'd personally programmed and painstakingly attuned to herself, to increase general research efficiency. She had... at the time it was sealed, her mind had not been all it could have been, but someone not in the group that confronted her had spoken to her as well, taken credit for sealing it. Her memories of those final moments were somewhat blurred but... but it was _the same voice._ If this woman had been able to pierce the security and seal the Garden of Time, then...

"A mage of your skill, this should tell you two things," Lindy said, continuing as if she had read Precia's mind, "First, I have had opportunity to study your magical style and signature in detail that few others have. Second, that my own magic is particularly adept at sealing and directing energy. Once I realized this, I then came up with a plan, and spent several _days_ doing nothing but preparing the spells I would need to carry it out." Lindy said. Her smile vanished as she raised one hand, the energy surrounding Precia beginning to churn even more violently. "This field of wards has absorbed every last speck of magic you've used since I encountered you, and frankly you've released more energy in a few minutes than I could manage in an entire day. So much I can barely contain it, which is fine because I won't have to for very much longer. It will break free shortly whether I want it to or not... and with this much, about the only thing I can do is decide what direction it will travel in once it's released. It shouldn't take a genius to deduce which one I've chosen."

 _Oh, no._ Precia thought numbly. She poured every ounce of power she could muster into her shields, knowing that if this woman was telling the truth it most likely wouldn't be nearly enough…

"At this point, I suppose I should be telling you something appropriately neutral and law enforcement-esque. But I've already used 'you're under arrest', and frankly speaking I'm not neutral toward you at all ** _._** _"_ Lindy said, raising one hand above her head. The runes in the air briefly gleamed, then began to dim. "Fate... did you see her, after your encounter? Did you look at that girl, broken in the dirt after what you did to her? Because _I_ did, I saw my little girl lying half-dead in a hospital bed, and I saw the burns on my son's body from when he tried to save her and you tried to kill him for it _._ What mother could possibly be _neutral_ after that?" Lindy asked softly. "You tried to kill my _children_. Did you think I wouldn't take it _personally?_

_" **Burn."**_

Lindy's eyes were two chips of ice as she brought her raised hand down in a sharp chopping gesture.

The pillar of violet lightning split the heavens.

* * *

 

Fate and Arf descended on Rienne, ready for combat. "Mother!" Fate said, "I'm... here to... I'm..." She said, trailing off into silence from the sight in front of her.

"Holy _crap_." Arf said.

What they saw was Precia Testarossa... in a sense. She was on her hands and knees, on the ground, in the center of a massive expanse of shattered and burned earth. Blue runes floated serenely through the air around her in a sort of web, and she did not appear in any hurry to get up. Her dress was basically ash, her skin was reddened in the places it wasn't outright burned, and she was actually smoking or even on fire in spots. Basically, she looked as though she'd been at the center of a particularly precision bombing run.

Lindy turned to the two new arrivals and smiled warmly. It looked really, really _wrong_ considering her own wounds and the general situation. "Oh, my, what a considerate daughter who comes to save me, even after I made it clear she should not. Thank you for coming to help me, dear, but it seems that I have the situation mostly wrapped up. If you could proceed to another battle site? I believe I have this one under control, so we should reinforce the battle sites closer to Ravenna."

Fate blinked a few times. "Um... but I should... M-mother..."

Arf tugged on Fate's cape. _Fate, I really, really don't think we should argue with her right now!_ She thought urgently.

 _Perhaps you have a point..._ Fate admitted, once again looking at the crater Precia was lying in. Could she make one that big...?

 _Remind me to **never** tick your mom off again. _Arf thought.

Signum was beginning to worry. She was finally catching up to Amaterasu, she could sense that even if she couldn't yet see the woman, but that appeared to be for the worst possible reason: Amaterasu wasn't running from her anymore. Worse, she had rendezvoused with her brother,and Signum had few illusions that she'd be able to defeat them both at once without help. And Vita was, disturbingly, not answering her telepathic summons. Zafira was, and he claimed to be pinned down but otherwise fine; Signum knew him well enough to detect the strain in his tone, but for the moment she had to take him at his word. For the moment, she contented herself with the knowledge that they were both still alive, even if the only way she knew Vita to be alive was that if she were not, Hayate would most likely be screaming in her mind right this moment. And if she wanted to keep them that way, she should deal with the problem as soon as she...

Something strange nipped at the edges of her consciousness. She extended her senses, searching for the source. Ah... someone new was approaching her intended targets at high speed. Was that Testarossa?

Wasn't she on medical leave? And if she was approaching this battle at less than her absolute best, then...

Signum desperately tried to wring any additional speed she could out of her flight before her former rival got herself killed.

Amaterasu sighed in annoyance. "Of course, another complication. Kitten's catching up, and I'm picking up two more incoming. Seems like they'll be here in... ooooooooh, animal girl! It's the cute animal girl! I was hoping to get to know her better, maybe this won't be so bad. How does my hair look?"

"What are you happy about? Isn't this just 'another complication'? Let's get this over with and meet up with Tsuku." Susanoo said.

"Ugh, still in a bad mood? That was five minutes ago, Susa. Live in the _now._ " Amaterasu said. "Hey, look, the other one with her is your new little girlfriend! That ought to cheer you up, right?"

"... you don't touch that one." Susanoo said calmly. "You _don't._ I can forgive you for the last interruption, eventually. But this kid is so naive she makes _me_ look like a ruthless psychopath, all right? So don't kill her. I'll stop you if you try."

"Ha! And here I thought I was just teasing you, Susa. I'm starting to think that you do have a thing for this..." Amaterasu began, before the girl in question pulled up to them far more quickly than she would have thought possible. Best to watch for that... and... oh, my, Arf was even cuter in person than in an image. And that outfit covered like, _nothing..._ this merited a closer inspection...

Amaterasu found her... um... _tactical analysis_ cut off slightly by the other girl speaking. "Susanoo... it's been awhile, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, it has, hasn't it? We didn't really see each other last time, at least not close enough to talk... Look, Fatie, I'm happy to see you again, but you should go. Things are getting more serious, here. When it was just those old soldiers I looked past it, but you're way too young to end up dead on some world you've never even heard of." He responded.

"I thought by now, you'd know me well enough to know I can't do that." Fate said gently, a tone contrasted sharply by the fact she immediately dropped into a combat stance, Arf backing her up. "We both have duty to perform, don't we? So you have to find your Gate, and I have to stop you. All we can do is what we have to."

"Oh, my..." Amaterasu said, now fully noticing Fate for the first time following this speech. The older woman seemed to have not really noticed her in favor of ogling Arf, but now her eyes were firmly glued to Fate and seemed to be analyzing her.

Fate was ready. She'd spoken to Nanoha. She knew she was about to get deluged with ideas for costumes that probably weren't, in her friend's words, 'entirely wholesome'. She could take it, she'd faced worse.

But instead, Amaterasu visibly blushed and turned away from her, muttering under her breath. "This... this isn't good. This isn't good at _all._ Susa, this is a really serious problem."

"What is? What's wrong?" Susanoo asked.

"I... gods I was just teasing you before, but... come on, is this girl _really_ ten years old? That disturbingly sexy barrier jacket aside, isn't she a little too... a little too _much_ for a girl her age?" Amaterasu said bluntly. "I didn't really think you had a thing for her, but now that I actually see her up close, if you _do_ like her it's kinda hard for me to blame you, and that's really not good because she's obviously way too young! I mean, not just her clothes and her body but her hair, even her cute and quiet personality... it's like she was designed from the ground up specifically to appeal to perverts!"

"Wh-what?" Fate asked. _Specifically to appeal to..._

"It's... I don't know. I know I said I could support you, but I don't know if that's really true anymore now that it seems you might really go through with it!" Amaterasu said. "I mean... she's so...! Oh gods, I'm having dirty thoughts about her now. I shouldn't be, but I can't help it! Guilt, Susa! I'm feeling _guilty_ for fantasizing about someone, and that hasn't happened since that time I fell for the High Priestess of the goddess of Chastity!"

Fate blushed candy-apple red. _W-w-w-w-what is she thinking about?_ She thought, having a little trouble forming words at the moment.

"Oh, gods..." Susanoo said, looking ill. "Well, I guess one way to make me not angry at you is to make me disgusted at you instead."

"B-but... the things she's saying are actually... isn't that _really bad_ , Susa? Like, isn't she talking about things that aren't... legal?" Fate asked.

The air instantly went dead silent.

"Fate..." Susanoo said softly. "Did you just call me...? You called me Susa. You did."

"Um... I guess so? Is that a problem? It just slipped out, I didn't mean to..."

" ** _Ya-hoo-hoo!"_** Susanoo crowed, pumping his fist in the air, his foul mood apparently forgotten. "That means the master-apprentice bond is complete!"

Under normal circumstances, Fate would have been a little discomforted and annoyed by this sudden proclamation, but honestly at the moment it was sort of a relief. He was better to talk to than his sister. Much better. "Er... I guess I did call you by your nickname, but that doesn't mean I'm your..."

"No, no, it's good! I'm happy that you're coming out of your shell a little! I guess we can chalk it up to my brilliant teaching skills." He said, nodding in satisfaction. "Yeah, I'm awesome."

"You haven't really taught me anyth-"

"We'll need to do something special, something to commemorate this occasion. Hmmm... well... I know! Fatie is actually kind of a lousy nickname, you know? It's longer than your real name! So we'll do something about that, and think you up a better one! Fay? Fa? Argh, Fate is too hard to nickname for!"

"Well, then _don_ 't, pl-"

"So let's go to Testarossa! Rossa? No... no, that sounds strangely like a man's nickname to me for some reason." Susanoo said mysteriously. "You need a girl's nickname. Like... erm... oh! I got it, I got it! Tess! You can be 'Tess'!"

"Erm... couldn't you just call me 'Fate'?" She asked, in mild exasperation.

Susanoo's face fell. "You... you don't like 'Tess'? I thought it was pretty."

 _Oh. Now I feel like I kicked a puppy._ Fate thought. "Um... I suppose 'Tess' isn't bad."

"Yaaaaaaaaaay!" Susanoo cheered, again pumping a fist into the air enthusiastically. "Victory!"

"Oh _gods._ " Amaterasu muttered. "They're... they're _cute together._ This just gets worse and worse."

Susanoo narrowed his eyes at her. "Do not project your perversions onto the pure and noble art of nicknaming. I just got back into a good mood and you're already ruining it."

"Right. Right. I have to accept this." Amaterasu said. "All right, Susa! For real this time, I will support your efforts! Good luck at finding love!"

"... ... ... and there goes my good mood. Being your brother is like a second job. A job where I have to pull out my own teeth." Susanoo grumbled.

"Finding..." Fate said. This again? "But you're... it's... nothing personal, you're very nice, but aren't you... really, _really_ too old for me? Like... hundreds of years too old?"

"Gee, thanks, Tess. Thank you so much. You could have said 'aren't I really, really too young for you', but instead you chose to showcase my oldness. Thanks a ton." Susanoo said dryly.

Arf, who had basically been watching the show and wishing she'd had some popcorn, snickered.

Amaterasu sighed. "You have a pretty laugh, you know that? Like bells."

Arf blinked a few times in confusion. "Er... thanks?"

The edges of the time barrier chose this moment to explode briefly as a mass of magical energy slammed its way through them and into the slightly out-of-phase reality. Signum, sword drawn, entered the battlefield in the manner she entered most battlefields: ready to hurt somebody. More ready than usual, even. " ** _You_.**" She growled upon seeing Amaterasu. " ** _We're not finished yet_** _._... Ah, hello Susanoo. _"_

"Hiya!" He said, totally ignoring the general tone of the situation. He was good at that.

"Oh, this is a problem." Amaterasu said, looking back and forth from Arf to Signum. "I was sort of hoping you two would never meet each other."

Before you ask, yes, Ammy was _just_ as good if not better at ignoring the general tone of the situation.

"Wh-what?" Arf asked, still not sure what was going on or why this woman was acting so weird. It is important to remember that Arf was, technically, younger than Fate. She couldn't fully be expected to understand why the woman had been looking at her body with the general air of a shark spotting blood in the water. Even if she, intellectually, realized that she was totally smoking hot, and occasionally even used that to her advantage, sometimes she didn't quite piece together that maybe her (again) smoking hotness was the reason someone was staring at her with unnerving intensity. She just enjoyed attention and didn't question it. It's a dog thing.

"Okay... look, Kitten. You know I love you."

"I know you're obsessed with me, yes." Signum said.

"Semantics. My point is, my affection is _real_. But the thing is, I'm just not a one-woman woman. I've lived for a _long_ time, and I've developed very cavalier attitudes towards romantic encounters. So you need to know right now, there will be other women. And men. And occasionally one of each at the same time, or two of one, or several of each in varying combinations, and of course you can be one of the women involved in any of those situations, and..."

"What she's trying to say is that she's sort of a whore." Susanoo said helpfully.

"I am not! Whores act like this for money. I'm in it for the thrill of the hunt." Amaterasu protested.

"... I suppose you have a point."

"Thank you for appreciating that distinction." Amaterasu said primly. "Okay, Kitten, I guess my real point here is that I plan to take that lovely animal girl as my lover at some point in the future. Can you accept that and move past it in our relationship?"

" _What_?" Arf gasped, just now catching on to the real 'point' of the 'conversation'.

"We don't _have_ a relationship!" Signum snapped.

Amaterasu sighed and patted her brother on the shoulder. "You're not the only one who has love troubles, Susa. Be happy you only have one girl to worry about."

"I don't have any girls to worry about! Well, except for _you,_ and that's not the good kind of worry!" Susanoo protested.

" _She_ doesn't have any girls to worry about either!" Signum pointed out.

"A problem I'm trying to fix." Amaterasu agreed.

Fate, trying very, very hard not to show how _deeply_ uncomfortable the entire situation had made her, raised a trembling hand. "Can... can we _please_ just... arrest you now?"

Amaterasu sighed in annoyance. "Oh, right. Combat and such."

 _This could be bad, Ammy. Tsuku checked in with me a bit ago._ Susanoo said. _She's in combat again, and not making much headway. I'm pretty exhausted, and it seems the last of our loaned Cyborgs have gone to the big scrap heap in the sky, however. I think Precia was here, but I haven't heard or felt anything from her in awhile._

"Ah. Well, if the situation is down to just the three of us, then we need to step it up, I guess." Amaterasu said. She closed her eyes. "All right then, I think we've played too much. Forgotten our mission. Susanoo, take point. Break through and go to Tsukuyomi, immediately."

"What about you?" He asked.

Amaterasu responded by exploding.

"Whoa!" Susanoo said as his sister's body suddenly burst into brilliant light and flame. When the sudden display cleared, her weapon had shifted into the jagged, multi-pronged monstrosity she'd been wielding during their first encounter, her Barrier Jacket shifted into the same red plate.

And more to the point, Signum noted, her eyes had that same, painfully familiar chill. The spot where Amaterasu had impaled her in their first battle throbbed. _Ah. **There's** the one I remember._

"Me? Well, I was thinking I might kill everybody in my field of vision." She swung her spear experimentally, and it threw off licks of flame. "For a start."


End file.
